title: A prevalence screen of MRSA nasal colonisation amongst UK doctors in a non-clinical environment.
abstract: Screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage in healthcare workers (HCWs) is both contentious and confounded by a lack of knowledge of background prevalence rates. This study examines prevalence of nasal MRSA carriage amongst a spectrum of medical professionals in a non-clinical environment. Medical conference attendees volunteered for screening for nasal MRSA carriage, and anonymised demographic data and attitudes towards screening were recorded. Two hundred sixty volunteers participated. One hundred seventy-three participants (67%) were from the British Medical Association's Annual Representatives Meeting, and 87 participants (33%) were attending the Association of Surgeons in Training conference. Six (2%) participants were positive for MRSA nasal carriage (BMA = 1%, ASIT = 5%; p = 0.099). Participants from a surgical specialty (4.8%) were more likely to be MRSA positive (p = 0.039). All positive samples came from male participants (p = 0.182). However, there was no significant association with gender, seniority or country of employment and MRSA status. Routine screening for MRSA was supported by 63% of participants in HCWs; 36% had previously undergone such screening. MRSA nasal carriage rates within this cross-sectional study are lower than studies reporting carriage rates in HCWs within the clinical environment. Further research is required to examine the relationship between MRSA nasal colonisation status of a HCW and subsequent MRSA infection in patients.
authors.affiliation: Academic Coloproctology, 4TH Floor MRC Human Genetics Unit, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH42XU, UK. richardbrady@btinternet.com
authors.forename: R R W
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eunson
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Fraise
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Dunlop
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Gibb
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D010820:Physicians; D015995:Prevalence; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006113:United Kingdom