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.
Na'was
T
T
Department of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid.
Fakhoury
J
J
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*