Skin and environmental contamination with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among carriers identified clinically versus through active surveillance.
In a prospective study involving 115 patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nares carriage, we found that skin and environmental contamination with methicillin-resistant S. aureus was as likely among individuals whose S. aureus carriage was identified only through active surveillance as it was among those individuals whose S. aureus carriage was identified clinically, which suggests that strategies to limit transmission must address colonized patients, as well as infected patients.
Chang
Shelley
S
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Sethi
Ajay K
AK
Eckstein
Brittany C
BC
Stiefel
Usha
U
Cadnum
Jennifer L
JL
Donskey
Curtis J
CJ
D000368:Aged; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*