In the fight against antibiotic resistance and HAIs, there’s a powerful new way to prevent HAIs and improve patient outcomes.

The CDC estimates that at any given moment, 1 in 31 patients at healthcare facilities has an HAI or SSI. For the most vulnerable patients, hospitals now have the option to protect patients from bacteria already living inside the body — and now healthcare leaders are considering expanding the program. 

Nasal decolonization is a process by which providers remove bacteria from the nasal vestibule in the nose with the goal of preventing the colonizing bacteria from causing an infection in the patient or spreading infections to others. 

Now more than ever, nasal decolonization is a key component of any strong infection prevention program. Find out why we’re seeing more emphasis on proactive HAI prevention with nasal decolonization. 

Looming Antibiotic Resistance Concerns

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the most common bacteria in the body’s natural flora and a frequent offender in the spread of HAIs. Up to 30% of adults are carriers of S. aureus.

But the antibiotic-resistant strain, MRSA, also lurks inside some patients’ bodies, causing major concern for severe infections. Between 1-3% of the population are carriers of MRSA, one of the most infamous HAIs that is becoming more and more difficult to treat due to the rise of antibiotic resistance. 

Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, antibiotics have been the go-to treatment for infections. But with consistent (and sometimes improper) use, bacteria have been able to develop resistance to certain drugs, giving healthcare providers fewer options for treating serious infections. Meanwhile, antibiotic development timelines have slowed to a near halt.

With already limited treatment options shrinking, most healthcare leaders have shifted their focus to proactive prevention, rather than reactive treatments. This means higher standards for hand hygiene, patient room disinfection, and expanding the use of nasal decolonization to stop HAIs before they happen. 

How Nasal Decolonization Reduces HAI Risk

Healthcare leaders have put a renewed focus on HAI prevention in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we have more resources than ever to prevent HAIs from spreading around hospitals.

Nasal decolonization is yet another tool in the infection preventionist’s belt. Using mupirocin, Intranasal povidone-iodine, or an alcohol-based antiseptic, healthcare workers can effectively remove any S. aureus bacteria inside the nasal vestibule to minimize the risk of infection for both the patient and others in the room. 

For surgical patients, most SSIs are endogenous — meaning they were infected by bacteria they were already carrying. The high risk for endogenous infections in the OR makes nasal decolonization especially important in SSI prevention. 

Other patients are susceptible to endogenous infections, as well as exogenous infections  (infections that they contract through contact with a contaminated surface or infected person). These patients also benefit from nasal decolonization policies, since the decolonization reduces the person-to-person or surface transfer of pathogens. 

Nasal Decolonization in Practice 

So, does every patient get decolonized? … Not yet. 

Currently, nasal decolonization is widely recommended for targeted use among perioperative patients and ICU patients, due to the high risk of infection in those environments. This means testing patients for the presence of S. aureus in the mucosal membrane and decolonizing those who come back positive. 

But there are other bacteria and Gram-positive organisms present in the nasal vestibule that won’t raise a red flag on an S. aureus test, as well as patients who produce false-negative tests. In response to these concerns, some healthcare leaders are recommending universal nasal decolonization for all surgical patients. 

Detractors of universal nasal decolonization mainly argue against it because it could be a burden on already-overwhelmed nursing staff. That is, until now. 

SaniiSwab for Hospitals 

SaniiSwab is a nasal decolonization system that simplifies the process, so patients can perform their own nasal decolonization. SaniiSwab employs alcohol-based antiseptic used by surgeons in the OR and ICU staff, allowing patients to completely eliminate bacteria inside the nose without adding to nurse workloads. 

The difference between SaniiSwab and traditional nasal decolonizers is the patented double swab, which mirrors the two-step surgical prep process of cleansing and disinfecting while providing an extra layer of protection from pathogen transfer. Unlike other nasal decolonizers, SaniiSwab only uses one swab in each nostril, significantly reducing the risk of pathogen transfer during the decolonization process. 

The swabs are designed for patients to easily locate and decolonize their own nasal vestibules, resulting in infection reduction without increasing staff workload. The simple self-administration of SaniiSwab saves up to an hour of time per nurse every day, which gives nurses more opportunities for direct care. 

>> Read our interview with the inventor of SaniiSwab, Dr. John Polley

Want to know more about nasal decolonization and the possibility for universal decolonization? Reach out to us for more information.