Aims: To determine the prevalence of MRSA carriage among healthcare workers, the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolated strains, to attempt decolonization of the carriers and to assess effectiveness of the decolonization regimen.

Materials and method:Nasal swabs collected from 150 health care workers were processed for bacterial identification and antibiotic sensitivity testing. After decolonization,repeat cultures were performed to assess the effectiveness.

Results: Nasal carriage of MRSAamong healthcare workers was found to be 4.7%. The MRSAcarriage was found high among nurses (5.5%).  A significant association with MRSA was noted among health workers who have nasal problems like sinusitis, allergic rhinitis and nasal septal deviation.Topical mupirocin and chlorhexidine bath was found to be effective in eradicating MRSA carriers.

Conclusion:  In hospitals, nasal carriage of MRSA must be regularly screened and give an early warning of the presence of antimicrobial resistant pathogens among HCWs.