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Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a major pathogen implicated in orthopedic infections worldwide. Preoperative decolonization has been promoted but different strategies present mixed results. Thus, the goals of this study are to determine (1) whether S aureus screening and/or decolonization is effective at reducing surgical site infection in orthopedic surgery, (2) with a special focus on elective total joint arthroplasty (TJA), and (3) which preoperative S aureus screening/treatment strategy is most cost-effective for TJA., Methods: PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases were searched on January 1, 2020, using a systematic strategy. We included papers with data comparing surgical site infection and periprosthetic joint infection rate in orthopedic surgery and/or elective total hip and knee arthroplasty patients before/after S aureus screening and/or decolonization protocol and papers evaluating the cost-effectiveness of different S aureus screening/treatment strategies., Results: A total of 1260 papers were screened, and 32 papers were ultimately included. Results showed an increased risk of developing any infection (relative risk [RR] = 1.71 ± 0.16) and S aureus infection (RR = 2.79 ± 0.45) after orthopedic surgery without previous nares and whole-body decolonization. Focusing exclusively on elective TJA, there was an increased risk of developing any infection (RR = 1.70 ± 0.17) and S aureus infection (RR = 2.18 ± 0.41) if no decolonization is performed. All strategies appeared to be cost-effective, although universal decolonization without screening seemed to be the most advantageous., Conclusion: Preoperative S aureus screening/decolonization protocol lowered the risk of infection after elective orthopedic and TJA surgeries. However, further studies are needed to determine optimal clinical and cost-effective methodologies., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To study the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus carriage and the impact of preoperatively treating carriers in prosthetic joint infection (PJI), a prospective randomized trial was organized. From January 2010 to December 2012, 1028 of 1305 total joint arthroplasties performed were screened, and selected carriers underwent preoperative decolonization. We observed a 22.2% (228/1028) S aureus colonization rate and only 0.8% methicillin-resistant S aureus. Prosthetic joint infection rate was higher, albeit not significantly, in S aureus carriers than among noncarriers-3.9% (9/228) vs 2.0% (16/800). Treated and untreated carriers showed no significant differences-3.4% (3/89) vs 4.3% (6/139). Most of the 14 S aureus PJI occurred in noncarriers suggesting a lack of causal relation between nasal and PJI S aureus. No clear benefit in screening/decolonizing carriers before total joint arthroplasty could be demonstrated., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)