Surgery
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Health care-related infections cause significant patient morbidity and mortality rates and add excess costs that frequently are not reimbursed. Staphylococcus aureus has long been recognized as an important pathogen in human disease and is the most common cause of nosocomial infections. ⋯ Given the importance of S aureus nosocomial infections and the increased risk of S aureus nasal carriage in patients with health care-related infections, investigators must study cost-effective strategies to further prevent certain types of health care-related infections or nosocomial infections that occur in specific settings. One potential strategy is to decrease or eliminate S aureus nasal carriage among certain patient populations or in certain healthcare settings.