Staphylococcus aureus disproportionately affects Māori and Pacific people and is a common cause of skin and soft tissue infection. A significant proportion of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia events are healthcare-associated infections, which have been targeted by interventions such as the Health Quality & Safety Commissions Hand Hygiene New Zealand and the Surgical Site Infection Improvement programmes. Further interventions, such as care bundles for vascular access devices and decolonisation of staphylococci in the skin and nose prior to surgery, are required to reduce the rate of healthcare-associated Staphylococcus aureus infections.
