MRSA Nasal Screening After Vancomycin

has pneumonia and is on day 5 of vancomycin. He has a history of MRSA No respiratory cultures have been collected.

Should a MRSA swab be collected now?

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Best Answer:

Explanation: The utility of MRSA 👃 swabs after anti-MRSA therapy is questionable and there may be a higher risk of false negatives. Risk vs benefit of using this data for de-escalation should be weighed ⚖️

In our patient, clinical utility is limited as he is finishing his course of therapy anyway.

Remember that diagnostic stewardship involves ordering the right test 🧪 at the right time! ⏱️