title: Evaluation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in Malagasy patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important cause of infections. It is well recognized that nasal carriage of S. aureus represents a potent and increasingly prevalent risk factor for subsequent S. aureus infection. However, in Madagascar no data exist concerning this nasal carriage of S. aureus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nasal swabs from 304 different patients attending the Laboratory of Training and Research in Medical Biology of Madagascar were cultured for methicillin sensitive (MSSA) and MRSA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and sixteen patients had S. aureus in their noses (38.16 ± 5.46%) of whom 45 (14.80 ± 3.99%) had MRSA.  A risk factor for MSSA nasal carriage included a history of hospitalization when antibiotics were administered (odds ratio [OR] 2.25, 1.09 - 4.64). Among MRSA nasal isolates, high rate of resistance to other antibiotics was observed, particularly for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (68.89%), erythromycin (66.67%) and ofloxacin (53.33%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data showed a high rate of MRSA nasal carriage and a high rate of multidrug resistance. A strategic policy against the spread of multidrug resistant strains is desirable.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar. travaka@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Tsiry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rasamiravaka
authors.forename: Saida
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rasoanandrasana
authors.forename: Norosoa Julie Julie
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Zafindraibe
authors.forename: Aimée Olivat
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Rakoto Alson
authors.forename: Andry
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rasamindrakotroka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008270:Madagascar / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology*; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000494:pharmacology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004917:Erythromycin; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; D015242:Ofloxacin