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Carriage of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus by non-hospitalized subjects in Israel

Nicht hospitalisierte Träger methicillin-resistenter Staphylococcus aureus-Stämme

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Summary

The prevalence of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the anterior nares and axilla was studied in 920 non-hospitalized subjects: 350 drug addicts, 350 individuals presenting at a hospital emergency room for various reasons, and 220 hospital health care workers.S. aureus was isolated from 105 (11.4%) subjects, in six (6.3%) of whom the isolates were methicillin-resistant. The isolation rate of the organism and the prevalence of resistant strains in the different subgroups were, respectively: drug-addicts, n=32 (9.1%), n=2 (6.9%); emergency room patients, n=36 (10.2%), n=1 (3.2%); and hospital health care workers, n=37 (16.8%), n=3 (8.5%). Our findings suggest that MRSA remains uncommon in the community, while the prevalence ofS. aureus carriage (including methicillin-resistant strains) in hospital personnel is quite similar in divergent geographical areas.

Zusammenfassung

Bei 920 nicht hospitalisierten Personen wurde die Prävalenz methicillinresistenterStaphylococcus aureus-Stämme (MRSA) in der vorderen Nasenmuschel und in der Axilla bestimmt. Untersucht wurden 350 Drogenabhängige, 350 Patienten der Notfallambulanz mit verschiedenen Krankheiten und 220 im Krankehaus Beschäftigte. Bei 105 (11,4%) der Untersuchten wurdeS. aureus nachgewiesen, in sechs Fällen (6,3%) waren die Isolate methicillinresistent. Bezogen auf die verschiedenen Untergruppen fanden sich folgende Isolations- und Resistenzraten: Drogenabhängige n=32 (9,1%), n=2 (6,9%); Patienten der Notfallambulanz n=36 (10,2%), n=1 (3,2%), und Krankenhauspersonal n=37 (16,8%), n=3 (8.5%). Nach unseren Befunden sind MRSA in der Allgemeinbevölkerung noch selten: Die Prävalenz vonS. aureus-Trägertum (einschließlich methicillinresistenter Stämme) ist in verschiedenen geographischen Regionen bei Krankenhauspersonal ziemlich ähnlich.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Infectious Disease Unit, E. Wolfson Hospital, 58100, Israel

    M. Dan M.D. & Y. Moses M.D.

  2. Microbiology Laboratory, E. Wolfson Hospital, 58100, Holon, Israel

    F. Poch M.Sc. & R. Gutman M.Sc.

  3. Emergency Department, E. Wolfson Hospital, 58100, Holon, Israel

    J. Asherov M.D.

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  1. M. Dan M.D.
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  2. Y. Moses M.D.
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  3. F. Poch M.Sc.
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  4. R. Gutman M.Sc.
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  5. J. Asherov M.D.
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Dan, M., Moses, Y., Poch, F. et al. Carriage of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus by non-hospitalized subjects in Israel. Infection 20, 332–335 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01710678

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