Which isolation precaution is indicated for a patient with a MRSA infection in a surgical wound?

• A. Contact isolation
• B. Airborne isolation
• C. Droplet isolation
• D. Standard precautions

Answer: (A)

MRSA is spread primarily through direct contact with infected wound drainage or with contaminated hands and surfaces. Because of this, preventing transmission relies on contact precautions: wear a gown and gloves whenever you touch the patient or the patient’s surroundings, and perform thorough hand hygiene before and after contact. Use dedicated equipment for the patient when possible and place the patient in a private room (or with another patient with MRSA if cohorting is allowed). Standard precautions are applied to all patients, but MRSA wound infections require adding contact precautions to interrupt the main transmission route. Airborne precautions are for aerosols, and droplet precautions cover large respiratory droplets; neither is the primary route for MRSA wound spread, so they are not the primary protection here.