title: Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus: correlation with hormonal status in women.
abstract: In view of recent observations on hormone-microorganism interactions, a study of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in relation to sex-hormone status was undertaken. Prospectively in 479 women attending a colpocytologic clinic, hormonal status was assessed by determining the karyopyknotic index (KI) on smears stained by the Papanicolaou method. Rates of S. aureus nasal carriage were 29.3% in premenopausal women and 21.9% in postmenopausal women (P not significant). Carriage rates were significantly higher (P = .026, chi 2 7.32) for women with high KIs (40.7%) than for those with intermediate and low KIs (27.03% and 25.1%, respectively). S. aureus nasal carriage also correlated independently and significantly with previous antibiotic use and the presence of insulin-treated diabetes mellitus. This preliminary observation confirms an association between levels of sex hormones as reflected by the KI and S. aureus nasal carriage rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine C, Beilinson Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leibovici
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Faktor
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Pitlik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development*; D014626:Vaginal Smears
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones