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

• A. Droplet precautions
• B. Contact precautions (gloves and gown; dedicated equipment)
• C. Airborne precautions
• D. Standard precautions

Answer: (B)

MRSA wound infection is mainly spread by direct contact with the wound drainage and contaminated surfaces. To prevent transmission, use contact precautions: wear a gown and gloves before entering the room, remove and perform hand hygiene before leaving, and use dedicated or patient-specific equipment to avoid transferring organisms to other patients or surfaces. Standard precautions are always in place, but they don’t by themselves prevent MRSA spread from wounds; droplet and airborne precautions are for different routes of transmission (respiratory droplets and airborne particles, respectively) and aren’t the primary concern with MRSA wounds. So, the best approach is gloves and gown with dedicated equipment to minimize contact transmission.