title: Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant nasal and pharyngeal colonization in outpatients in Lebanon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is an increasing concern about methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in the community. This study aimed to evaluate the rate of S aureus nasopharyngeal colonization in outpatients as the primary endpoint, and also to study the impact of several possible risk factors, including recent hospitalization, recent surgical procedures, and antibiotic intake.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,526 consecutive outpatients underwent surveillance cultures after completing a questionnaire. Isolated S aureus strains were tested for antibiotic susceptibility. The Pearson χ(2) test was used for statistical analysis. The differences were considered to be statistically significant at a P value <.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 1,526 outpatients tested, 133 (8.7%) carried S aureus in the nose and/or throat. Only 2 of those cases were MRSA, and both were isolated from the nose. One hundred thirty-one patients had methicillin-sensitive S aureus, 13 with simultaneous carriage in the nose and throat. Among the risk factors, a relative working in health care, presence of an intravascular device, recent dental procedure, and health club use were significantly associated with an increased risk of S aureus colonization, with P values of .00, .02, .04, and .00, respectively, calculated by the χ(2) test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of MRSA is still low in our study population within the Lebanese community. The only significant risk factors playing a role in increasing the carriage of S aureus were related to health care exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon; Department of Medicine, Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL. Electronic address: msfeir@med.miami.edu.
authors.forename: Maroun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sfeir
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University Medical Center Rizk Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Yollande
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Obeid
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University Medical Center Rizk Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Chady
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eid
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University Medical Center Rizk Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saliby
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Lebanese American University School of Medicine, Byblos, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farra
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Rizk Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Hussein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Farhat
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon; Department of Microbiology, University Medical Center Rizk Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon; Department of Medicine, Lebanese American University School of Medicine, Byblos, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Jacques E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mokhbat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D010045:Outpatients; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus; Nose and throat carriage; Staphylococcus aureus