Surveillance and prophylactic intervention of Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization in a hemodialysis unit.
Surveillance of 101 hemodialysis patients for Staphylococcus aureus positive nasal cultures was performed by monthly nasal swabs over a 27-month period. All positive cultures were treated with a prophylactic antibiotic regimen. Forty-seven (46.5%) patients had one or more positive cultures. The surveillance period was longer in the S. aureus nasal carriers (p = 0.004). The frequency of positive cultures correlated with the duration of surveillance (p = 0.029). The incidence of S. aureus bacteremia was greater in patients with two or more positive cultures (p = 0.030). This study suggests that continuous surveillance for S. aureus nasal colonization is essential to properly identify all patients at risk of developing S. aureus bacteremias.
Division of Nephrology, St. Joseph's Health Centre, London, Ont., Canada.
L S
LS
Glowacki
A B
AB
Hodsman
O
O
Hammerberg
J
J
Meraw
V
V
McNeill
M L
ML
Card
H
H
Potters
K
K
McGhie
L W
LW
Stitt
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006436:Hemodialysis Units, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents