title: Staphylococcus saprophyticus urinary tract infections: epidemiological data from Western Australia.
abstract: Epidemiological data from Western Australia regarding Staphylococcus saprophyticus urinary tract infections (UTIs) was collected over a 12 month period. Eighty-four percent of S. saprophyticus UTIs occurred in females 13-40 years of age and S. saprophyticus was the second most frequent cause of UTIs in this age group (15.2%) after Escherichia coli (70.8%). Although the monthly incidence fluctuated, no seasonality of S. saprophyticus UTIs could be demonstrated. The proportion of S. saprophyticus UTIs in pregnant women (6.5%) compared with non-pregnant women (15.2%) appeared reduced, however, this reduction was not statistically significant. Finally, while S. saprophyticus was isolated at a frequency of 4.6% from the genital tract of females aged 13-40 years, it could not be isolated from the genital tract of females aged > 40 years, nor from the genital tract of males aged 13-40 years, suggesting a possible reservoir of infection. These data imply a relationship between female hormonal status and S. saprophyticus UTIs which requires further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia.
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Riley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000382:microbiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology