Antiseptic nasal decolonization noses ahead

Over 20 years ago, an article from Johns Hopkins published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that Staphylococcus aureus decolonization of the nares can decrease risk of surgical site infections (SSI). Since then, nasal decolonization—the application of a topical antimicrobial or antiseptic agent to the nares—has been adopted as a well-regarded infection prevention practice. And with upwards of 70% to 95% of all SSIs originating in the microbiome of the patient’s own skin or nares, it is no wonder that medical professionals are embracing this easy, low-risk approach to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAI).