Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of nosocomial infection. Nasal carriage plays an important role in its spread and is usually treated by topical mupirocin. The emergence of mupirocin resistance is significant since it is one of the few topical antimicrobial agents shown to be safe and effective.

There were significant changes in antimicrobial susceptibility. More isolates were resistant to common antibiotics in 2003 than in 1999.