SUMMARYTo assess the prevalence and risk factors for colonization withStaphylococcus aureusin inmates entering two maximum-security prisons in New York State, USA, inmates (N = 830) were interviewed and anterior nares and oropharyngeal samples collected. Isolates were characterized usingspatyping. Overall, 50·5% of women and 58·3% of men were colonized withS. aureusand 10·6% of women and 5·9% of men were colonized with MRSA at either or both body sites. Of MSSA isolates, the major subtypes werespatype 008 and 002. Overall, risk factors forS. aureuscolonization varied by gender and were only found in women and included younger age, fair/poor self-reported general health, and longer length of prior incarceration. Prevalence of MRSA colonization was 8·2%, nearly 10 times greater than in the general population. Control of epidemicS. aureusin prisons should consider the constant introduction of strains by new inmates.
Staphylococcus aureus Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Abscess Samples from Adults and Children from the Kaleida Health System in Western New York State, 2003 to 2006
