The evaluation of rapid methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening

A study of the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening and monitoring on surgical wards using a new, rapid molecular test

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN84432505

Enrollment

12000

Registered

2008-07-30

Start date

2005-10-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2015-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonisation and infection Infections and Infestations Staphylococcus aureus infection

Interventions

This is a prospective, cluster two-period cross-over design, with the only difference between the two periods being the method of MRSA detection. The study compares the use of rapid MRSA testing with

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Patients greater than 18 years of age, either sex 2. Admitted to seven surgical wards at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Patients less than 18 years of age

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
1. MRSA transmission rates 2. MRSA infection rates 3. Antibiotic prescribing levels 4. MRSA related morbidity 5. Test replicability, reliability, sensitivity/specificity, predictive positive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), laboratory turn-around time	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Cost of hospital episode for all patients 2. Post-discharge primary/community care costs and any subsequent admissions for MRSA positives 3. Length of stay/intensive care unit (ITU) episodes for all patients 4. Recovery/rehabilitation period for MRSA positives	—

Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026