title: Rectovaginal Staphylococcus aureus colonization: is it a neonatal threat?
abstract: We sought to determine the rate of Staphylococcus aureus rectovaginal colonization and positive newborn blood cultures. Routinely obtained group B streptococcus (GBS) rectovaginal specimens were cultured for S. aureus using standard microbiology procedures. S. aureus- and GBS-positive blood cultures in infants less than 3 days old were determined from our microbiology database. Overall, 1488 rectovaginal cultures were obtained. Rates of positive GBS, S. aureus, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) cultures were 20.2%, 8.2%, and 1.7%, respectively. Cultures were positive for methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and GBS or MRSA and GBS in 1.6% and 0.3% of women, respectively. There was no association between GBS and MSSA or MRSA. From 1998 to 2008, there were four positive S. aureus blood cultures (0.4/10,000 live births). The rate of early onset GBS-positive blood cultures was 2.8/10,000 live births. S. aureus rectovaginal colonization at 35 to 37 weeks is relatively uncommon and currently does not appear to pose a significant risk of early onset neonatal sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Women's and Children's Program, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Portland, Oregon, USA. mwtomlinson@comcast.net
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: Nicole M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: J William
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Rourke
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult