Surveillance Cultures for Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Diagnostic Yield of Anatomic Sites and Comparison of Provider- and Patient-Collected Samples

We studied provider- and patient-collected samples from multiple anatomic sites to determine the yield for detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Sampling of multiple sites was required to achieve a sensitivity of more than 90% for MRSA colonization. Groin and perineum samples yielded positive results significantly more often for community-onset MRSA than for hospital-onset MRSA. Agreement rates between provider- and patient-collected swab specimens were excellent.