Another approach, directed only at the index patient, was recently described in a prospective trial involving 31 adults with 2 or more confirmed MRSA skin infections during the preceding 6 months.46 Patients were treated with a 10-day regimen of nasal mupirocin twice daily, 3% hexachlorophene body wash daily, and an oral anti-MRSA antibiotic (TMP-SMX, doxycycline, or minocycline) and were followed for another 6 months. This regimen was associated with a reduction in the mean rate of MRSA infection, from 0.84 to 0.03 infections per month; these results suggest that a longer treatment duration and treatment with a systemic antibiotic may increase the effectiveness of the regimen. These investigations lacked a control group, so further studies are needed. If chlorhexidine is used, care should be taken to avoid the eyes and ears, and it should be rinsed off after being applied to the skin. Diluted-bleach baths are a less expensive alternative