title: Complication of radiation therapy among patients with positive S. aureus culture from genital tract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main goal of this investigation was to evaluate the influence of positive Staphylococcus aureus culture from the genital tract on patients receiving radiation therapy, suffering from carcinoma of the uterus. The other aim was to observe radiation therapy complications.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Radiation therapy of patients suffering from cervical cancer can be connected with inflammation of the genitourinary tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  In years 2006-2010 vaginal swabs from 452 patients were examined. 39 women with positive S. aureus cultures were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complications and interruptions during radiation therapy were observed in 7 (18.9%) of 37 patients with positive vaginal S. aureus culture. One of them, a 46-year-old woman developed pelvic inflammatory disease. None of the six patients who received palliative radiotherapy showed interruption in this treatment. Isolated S. aureus strains were classified into 13 sensitivity patterns, of which 8 were represented by 1 strain, two by 2 strains and three by 13, 8 and 6 strains. One strain was diagnosed as methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study show that S. aureus may generally be isolated from the genital tract of female patients with neoplastic disease of uterus but is not often observed as inflammation factor of this tract. Comparison of species' resistance patterns may be used in epidemiological studies in order to discover the source of infections and therefore be of profound significance in the prevention of nosocomial infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Zefiryn
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cybulski
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Gynaecologic Oncology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Urbaniak
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Gynaecologic Oncology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences Poznań, Poland ; Great Poland Cancer Centre, Department of Electroradiology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roszak
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grabiec
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Talaga
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Gynaecologic Oncology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klimczak
keywords: Genital tract carcinoma; MRSA; Radiation therapy