title: Lack of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage among patients at a primary-healthcare unit in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a pathogen in individuals without traditional risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  MRSA nasal carriage was assessed in individuals consulting at a Primary Health Unit in Brazil.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 336 individuals were included: 136 were tested only for MRSA and 200 for any S. aureus. No MRSA was found among the 336 individuals and 23 (11.5%) of 200 were colonized by S. aureus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low prevalence rates have been found in non-hospitalized individuals, but MRSA surveillance should be encouraged to monitor clinical and molecular epidemiology of CA- MRSA.
authors.affiliation: Hospital da Aeronáutica de Canoas, Av. Guilherme Schell 3950, Canoas, RS, Brazil. letiscribel@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Letícia Vale
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Scribel
authors.forename: Mariana Vale
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Scribel
authors.forename: Ernídio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bassani
authors.forename: Afonso Luis
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.forename: Alexandre Prehn
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Zavascki
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D015995:Prevalence