scholarly journals Hidden Staphylococcus aureus Carriage: Overrated or Underappreciated?

mBio ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex van Belkum
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Nasal Carriage ◽  
Infection Control Practice ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Control Practice ◽  
Successful Infection ◽  
High Level ◽  
Next Generation Sequencing Ngs

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is a persistent companion bacterial species in one-third of humankind. Reservoirs include the nasal and nasopharyngeal cavities, skin, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Despite earlier claims that colonization of individuals is caused by clonal organisms, next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revealed that resident type heterogeneity is not exceptional. Carriage, whether overt or hidden, is correlated with a risk of autoinfection. In a recent article in mBio , it was shown that, based on staphylococcal genome sequencing, low-level GI persistence may cause long-term nosocomial outbreaks [L. Senn et al., 7(1):e02039-15, 2016, doi:10.1128/mBio.02039-15]. Institutional endemicity with methicillin-resistant S . aureus (MRSA) sequence type 228 (ST228) is shown to originate not from high-level nasal carriage or poor compliance with infection control practice but from low-grade asymptomatic GI colonization. This shows the power of NGS in elucidating staphylococcal epidemiology and, even more important, demonstrates that (drug-resistant) microorganisms may possess stealthy means of persistence. Identifying these persistence mechanisms is key to successful infection control.

The prevalence of nasal carriage of meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus among healthcare workers in a non-acute healthcare facility

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 109-113
Author(s):  
R Kelly ◽  
AL Dillon ◽  
AM Carroll ◽  
EB McNamara
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Meca Gene ◽  
Culture Method ◽  
Nasal Carriage ◽  
Healthcare Facility ◽  
Strict Adherence ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
High Level ◽  
Acute Healthcare

There is a lack of data available concerning the baseline prevalence of meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage among healthcare workers (HCWs) in the Republic of Ireland. This anonymous prevalence study screened HCWs for nasal carriage of MRSA in a non-acute healthcare facility (HCF) in Dublin and the prevalence rate among these HCWs was calculated. Three hundred and four HCWs were invited to participate, with 112 (37%) consenting to take part in the study. Nasal swabs were analysed by culture method for MRSA with reference to Health Protection Agency guidelines. Meticillin resistant isolates were examined for presence of MecA gene by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The overall rate of nasal carriage MRSA was found to be 8.9% (10/112), of whom eight were nurses, one was medical staff and one was household/catering staff. High-level mupirocin resistance was detected in two of the isolates. This study confirms a significant prevalence of MRSA carriage among the cohort studied, particularly among frontline HCWs. This emphasises the need for strict adherence to infection control protocols to minimise healthcare associated MRSA infections among patients in non-acute healthcare facilities. The detection of high level mupirocin resistant MRSA has implications for MRSA decontamination protocols.

scholarly journals Inducible Clindamycin Resistance Among the Staphylococcus aureus Colonizing the Anterior Nares of School Children of Udupi Taluk

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 337-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Govindan ◽  
C A Mohammed ◽  
I Bairy
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Methicillin Resistance ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Nasal Carriage ◽  
Paediatric Population ◽  
Inducible Clindamycin Resistance ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Mrsa Strains

Clindamycin is one of the preferred antibiotics in the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) skin and soft tissue infections. However the emergence of inducible clindamycin resistant SA is a major concern for clinicians in the management of such infections. Information about such resistant strains of SA colonizing the anterior nares is very important in planning infection control strategies. The objective of the current study was to assess the proportion of SA showing inducible clindamycin resistance and also to know their association with methicillin resistance. Among the isolates, 11.6% (44/378) strains were showing positive D test which indicates inducible clindamycin resistance and a highly significant 71% (12/17) inducible clindamycin resistance was also noticed in the case of MRSA. The nasal carriage of inducible clindamycin resistant SA showing a significant association with MRSA strains by the paediatric population from this area warrants the inclusion of D test in the routine antibiotic susceptibility testing of SA isolates. Information about the MLSBi status among the colonizing strains would also help the public health authorities to plan and implement infection control strategies at the community level.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nje.v4i1.10136 Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 2014;4 (1): 337-340

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