Can extra antibiotics finally knock out MRSA in the throat?
NCT ID NCT04104178
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether adding an oral antibiotic called clindamycin to the usual topical treatment (nasal ointment and special baths) helps clear MRSA bacteria from the throat. Fifty-three adults who still carried MRSA in their throat after standard treatment took either clindamycin or a placebo for a week. The goal was to see if more people became MRSA-free after one month and six months.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Clindamycin (oral antibiotic)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a more effective way to clear MRSA from the throat, reducing infection risk.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 53 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Adding an antibiotic also raises concerns about side effects and antibiotic resistance.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 3
Large-scale testing in a bigger group. Usually the last step before a treatment can be approved.
- Participants
-
53 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
May 2020
- Finished
-
Sep 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥ 18 years * MRSA carriage in the throat after first topical decolonization treatment (regardless of previous swab results) * Has completed one standard topical decolonization treatment Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant or lactating woman * Sexually active women in the reproductive age that do not use approved contraceptives (appendix 4) * Cannot read or speak Danish (the written participant information is in Danish) * Skin infection or other active infections * Activity in skin diseases such as eczema or psoriasis. * MRSA isolate resistant to clindamycin (defined by inhibition zone size \< 22 mm using disk diffusion methodology) or resistant to mupirocin * Allergy to clindamycin, chlorhexidine or mupirocin * Taking medications that interact with clindamycin according to the medicine information leaflet. * MRSA active antibiotic treatment within 7 days before inclusion in the study or during study period * Followed by specialist due to liver disease * Severe overweight (BMI \> 35) or weight \< 50 kg * Indwelling percutaneous permanent devices such as intravenous catheters or urinary tract catheters * Daily contact with pigs or minks (decolonization therapy is generally not offered, according to The National Board of Health) * Nursing home resident or health care worker (they have a more frequent control swab regime) * Not being capable of completing another treatment successfully * MRSA positive household members younger than 2 years (MRSA positive children below 2 years of age and their household members are generally not offered decolonization treatment according to The National Board of Health) * MRSA positive household members, where it is judged that further decolonization attempts are not indicated
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for MRSA are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Hvidovre Hospital
Hvidovre, Denmark
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.