Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in the community: a survey from central Italy.
Recently, concern has increased regarding the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the community. We studied 812 subjects from central Italy to establish the rates of nasal carriage of S. aureus, and antibiotic susceptibility patterns, in the community. The prevalence of S. aureus nasal carriage was 30.5%. Only one subject, with predisposing risk factors for acquisition, was identified as carrier of MRSA (prevalence of 0.12%). The presence of MRSA in the community of our area still appears to be a rare event. Among methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolates, a surprisingly high rate (18%) of resistance to rifampin was observed.
Zanelli
G
G
Clinica delle Malattie Infettive, Dipartimento di Biologia Molecolare, Università di Siena, Italia.
Sansoni
A
A
Zanchi
A
A
Cresti
S
S
Pollini
S
S
Rossolini
G M
GM
Cellesi
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017931:DNA Primers; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D005260:Female; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / Q000235:genetics; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C083616:mecA protein, Bacillus subtilis; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase; D012293:Rifampin