Proteeae groin skin carriage in ambulatory geriatric outpatients.
Aerobic gram-negative bacillus (AGNB) groin skin carriage was prospectively studied in ambulatory geriatric outpatients: 42 from three nursing homes and 44 from private homes. Initially, 12 (28.6%) Proteeae carriers were in the former group and 3 (6.8%) were in the latter (P = 0.01). At one year, 6 of 7 surviving nursing home carriers remained Proteeae carriers while none from private homes remained carriers (P = 0.007). The annual prevalence of Proteeae carriage was 14 (33.3%) in nursing homes and 4 (9.1%) in private homes (P = 0.008); of non-Proteeae AGNB carriage, the annuyal prevalence was 2 (4.8%) and 4 (11.4%), respectively. Nursing home subjects had similar initial health characteristics; however, by one year, 5 of 12 carriers in contrast to 3 of 30 noncarriers were dead of chronic disease (P = 0.03). These nursing homes included persons with chronic diseases that apparently facilitated Proteeae carriage. Urethral catheters, skin ulcers, and recent antibiotics were not factors.
Ehrenkranz
N J
NJ
Florida Consortium for Infection Control, Miami 33143.
Eckert
D G
DG
Alfonso
B C
BC
Moskowitz
L B
LB
D000368:Aged; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006119:Groin / Q000382:microbiology; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010045:Outpatients; D010361:Patients; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011512:Proteus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*