Nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by hospital staff in north Jordan.
The nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 550 hospital staff members of four hospitals in north Jordan. Of the 109 (19.8%) individuals tested who were nasal carriers of S. aureus, only 32 (5.8%) were found to be carriers of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The carriers were four doctors, 23 nurses, three laboratory technicians, one maid and an administrator. It was noted that 25 (78.1%) of these carriers were in constant contact with patients in operating theatres, surgical wards or intensive care units. It was not clear whether the carriers were short- or long-term carriers, or whether they were persistent sources of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Decontamination of these carriers was considered among other control measures to avoid the dangerous outcome of hospital outbreaks caused by this potential pathogen.
Department of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid.
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Na'was
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Fakhoury
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*