Infections, particularly those caused by antibiotic-resistant gram-positive bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), are a growing concern, particularly in units in which patients are immunosuppressed either intentionally (as for transplantation) or as a result of trauma (severe burns) or disease (such as acquired immunodeficiency disease) (Steinstraesser et al 2009). As more bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, our ability to control the spread of these bacteria with antibiotic treatments decreases (Steinstraesser et al 2009).