A member asked:

Can you have mrsa if nasal swab comes back negative?

2 doctors weighed in across 2 answers

Yes: It is still possible to have MRSA somewhere else on or in the body, even if it is not in the nose. However, the nose is a warm, moist place that is a useful place to look for the bacteria.

Answered 10/21/2019

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Yes but: Mrsa can survive for varying periods on the skin surface but will die unless it has enough moisture supplied as mucous or serum. The reason they swab people looking for MRSA is it can be carried it the moist goopy linings of the nasal passages & be passed as a contaminant on fingers. An outbreak can be traced to asymptomatic people.

Answered 10/5/2017

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