Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus Aureus (MSSA) Decolonisation Therapy Patient Information

Topical Treatment for MSSA-Positive Patients

Mupirocin (Bactroban) Nasal Ointment – To be applied to both nostrils twice a day for 5 days.

How to apply the ointment:

1. Remember to wash your hands before applying the ointment.
2. Place a small amount of the ointment onto your finger (about the size of a match stick head). Alternatively you can use a cotton bud.
3. Apply the ointment to the inside of your nose. Press the sides of the nose together. This will help to spread the ointment in the nose.
4. Wash your hands after applying the ointment.

This needs to be repeated twice a day for 5 days.

Close contacts

MSSA can be passed from person to person. However, this is not normally a problem at home or at work provided family and friends are not ill and do not have open wounds. Ideally, you should not share your towel, flannel or toothbrush with others.

Octenisan Body Wash – Daily for 5 Days

If Octenisan is unsuitable due to the condition of the patient’s skin, please contact the Infection Control Team to discuss the alternatives.

• Day 1 – Body
• Day 2 – Body and hair
• Day 3 – Body
• Day 4 – Body and hair
• Day 5 – Body

If you have a shower:

1. Make sure your hair and body are wet
2. Put lotion onto a damp disposable cloth
3. Apply lotion all over hair and body, paying special attention to areas indicated
4. Leave lotion on your skin for three minutes
5. Rinse off thoroughly
6. Dry with a clean towel
7. Put on clean underclothes/nightwear every day. Make sure all bedlinen and towels are changes daily and are machine washed.

If you have a bath:

1. Do not add the Octenisan body wash to the bath water, this makes it too dilute to be effective.
2. You should stand out of the bath and put the body wash directly onto wet skin with a damp disposable cloth as described above.
3. After 3 minutes, get back into the bath and rinse off.

If you have a bed bath:

1. Wet the skin
2. Apply Octenisan body wash to the skin with a disposable cloth as described above
3. Leave on for 3 minutes then rinse off

Hair washing:

You will also need to wash your hair on day 2 and day 4 of the therapy. Use undiluted Octenisan body wash onto wet hair like a shampoo, leave for 3 minutes and rinse off. You can use your own shampoo and conditioner afterwards if you wish.

Important: Bath or shower daily using Octenisan and following this procedure.

• Ensure that you are the sole user of the washcloth and towel or that these are disposable.
• Use a clean and dry washcloth and towel for each shower or bath and ensure that these are properly cleaned and dried before using again.
• Do not forget to wash behind your ears, lower legs and the area of skin around bottom. If you experience any difficulty in following this procedure please seek help from a carer or healthcare professional.

Further Information

• Bed linen should be changed daily during the therapy. If this is not possible then it should be changed immediately before starting the Decolonisation Therapy and again after finishing the treatment.
• Bed linen, clothes and towels can be washed in your own washing machine at 40°C.
• Tumble drying will also kill the MSSA bacteria.
• Good hygiene is the best way to avoid spreading MSSA.

Friends and family

MSSA is not a risk for healthy people. There are no restrictions on normal social contact or activities and you are not a risk to other members of your friends or family.