Nostrils of healthy volunteers are independent with regard to Staphylococcus aureus carriage.
The right and left nares of healthy adults (n = 251) were swabbed separately to determine carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in each nostril. Carriers were significantly more likely to carry S. aureus in one nostril than in both. Of those carrying S. aureus in both nostrils, 20% carried genetically distinct strains in each. Nostrils belonging to a single individual should not be assumed to be homogenous with respect to carriage of S. aureus.
University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Beau J
BJ
Kildow
Johan P
JP
Conradie
Rachel L
RL
Robson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058889:Molecular Typing; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult