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Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in the community: a survey from central Italy

G Zanelli1, A Sansoni, A Zanchi

  • 1Clinica delle Malattie Infettive, Dipartimento di Biologia Molecolare, Università di Siena, Italia.

Epidemiology and Infection
|October 31, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Community spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a growing concern. A study in central Italy found MRSA nasal carriage rare (0.12%), but high rifampin resistance in methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA).

Area of Science:

  • Medical Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Increasing global concern over community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections.
  • Need to understand local prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns for effective public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in the general community in central Italy.
  • To analyze antibiotic susceptibility patterns, including MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA).

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study involving 812 subjects from central Italy.
  • Culturing and antibiotic susceptibility testing of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from nasal swabs.

Main Results:

  • Overall Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage prevalence was 30.5%.
  • MRSA nasal carriage was rare, found in only 0.12% of subjects, with one individual having risk factors.
  • A significant 18% of MSSA isolates exhibited resistance to rifampin.

Conclusions:

  • MRSA appears to be a rare event in the studied community in central Italy.
  • High rates of rifampin resistance among MSSA warrant further investigation and may impact treatment options.

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