Whole-Genome Sequencing Shows That Patient-to-Patient Transmission Rarely Accounts for Acquisition of Staphylococcus aureus in an Intensive Care Unit

Only a minority of S. aureus acquisitions can be explained by patient-to-patient transmission. Whole-genome sequencing provides the resolution to disprove transmission events indicated by conventional methods and also to reveal otherwise unsuspected transmission events. Whole-genome sequencing should replace conventional methods for detection of nosocomial S. aureus transmission.