Investigation of nasal carriage of community-acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in primary and high school students]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the carriage rate and risk factors of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) among the students in Manisa, Turkey. A total of 2015 students (1012 from the last phase of high schools and 1003 from the first phase of primary schools) were included in the study. None of the students had nasal MRSA carriage. Methicillin-sensitive S.aureus (MSSA) colonization rate was 14.7% (296/2015). Nasal carriage of MSSA was significantly higher in the primary school students (17.8%) than the high school students (11.6%) (p < 0.001). MSSA carriage was also higher in students of higher socioeconomical status than the students of lower status (p < 0.05). A statistically significant relationship was not determined between the nasal carriage and the risk factors (history of hospitalisation or surgical operation in the previous one year, use of antibiotics or history of skin/soft tissue infection in the last 6 months, presence of children < 15 years old in the family, presence of healthcare workers in the same house, living in a crowded house). Penicillin and erythromycin resistance was found in 93.6% and 14.2% of MSSA strains, respectively. No resistance was detected against ciprofloxacin, co-trimoxazole, linezolid and vancomycin. There was a statistically significant difference between erythromycin resistance and antibiotic use within the last six months and the number of family members (p < 0.05). In conclusion, current treatment regimens still seem to be affective and safe for the empirical treatment of community-acquired S.aureus infections. Although CA-MRSA infections seem not to be a serious threat in our region yet, it is essential to carry out prevalence studies in the different populations of the community.