An Attempt to Reduce Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Infection in Soldiers

Official Title: “An Attempt to Reduce Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infection in Soldiers: a Controlled Trial”

The main purpose of this study is to determine if applying mupirocin into soldiers noses who are colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) will reduce infections in them and their cohort of fellow soldiers.

Community-acquired MRSA infections are increasingly common in the community and in particular among certain groups of which soldiers are one. Many researchers and clinicians have postulated that one method to prevent infections is to selectively eradicate CA-MRSA in those who are colonized with the pathogen. The two main purposes of the study are: to determine if selective CA-MRSA eradication in subjects reduces infections in the CA-MRSA colonized individual; and to determine if selective CA-MRSA eradication in subjects reduces infections in the study cohort. Other information concerning CA-MRSA includes: prevalence, risk factors, and virulence data. The population will be soldiers enrolled in the combat medic training class at Ft. Sam Houston. We will enroll approximately 3000 soldiers over a two year period. After informed written consent, we will culture their anterior nares nares and administer questionnaires at the beginning and at the end of the study, following them prospectively for infections. The follow-up period will be 16 weeks. For those with CA-MRSA in their nares, they will be randomized (by cohort) to receive either 5 days of mupirocin or placebo.

Intervention(s) in this Clinical Trial

• Drug: Mupirocin (drug)

Primary Measures

• Soft tissue infections in subjects who received the study medication and soft tissue infections in the study cohorts.

Secondary Measures

• Changes in S. aureus carriage rates (including MRSA).

• Inclusion Criteria:Soldiers enrolled into the combat medic course at Ft. Sam Houston, TX.
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• Exclusion Criteria: Allergy to mupirocin.
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Gender Eligibility for this Clinical Trial: Both

Minimum Age for this Clinical Trial: 17 Years

Maximum Age for this Clinical Trial: 60 Years

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted for this Clinical Trial?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Lead Investigator: Brooke Army Medical Center U.S. Fed

Overall Clinical Trial Officials and Contacts

Michael W Ellis, MD Principal Investigator Brooke Army Medical Center  

Information obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov on February 12, 2012

Link to the current ClinicalTrials.gov record. http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00289588

Study ID Number: C.2004.163

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00289588

Health Authority: United States: Federal Government