ObjectiveTo perform rapid and accurate active screen on methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in patients in an intensive care unit(ICU), and provide evidence for making effective measures of controlling multidrugresistant bacterial infection.MethodsPatients who were hospitalized between November 1,2011 and April 30,2012 were in control group (79 cases, patients suspected with MRSA infection were performed MRSA detection with routine bacterial culture method), and patients who were hospitalized between June 1,2012 and November 30,2012 were in intervention group (86 cases, patients were performed active screen with MRSA chromogenic medium), MRSA detection rate between two groups was compared.ResultsThe differences in age,score of disease classification, catheterization rate between two groups were not significantly different (P>0.05); the average length of hospital stay in control group was significantly longer than that of intervention group （［20.77±7.27］d vs［18.13±6.90］d, t=2.39，P=0.02）. The detection rate of MRSA at admission to ICU in intervention group and control group was 3.80%（3/79） and 1.16%（1/86）respectively（P＞0.05）, at discharge was 5.06%（4/79）and 5.81%（5/86）respectively（P＞0.05）.ConclusionActive screen on MRSA with chromogenic medium can provide evidence for timely contact isolation，and is more effective to enforce contact precaution measures.