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Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in random samples of a normal population*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

W. C. Noble
Affiliation:
St John's Hospital for Diseases of the Skin, London, England
H. A. Valkenburg
Affiliation:
Department of Microbial Diseases, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands
Caroline H. L. Wolters
Affiliation:
Department of Microbial Diseases, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Nose, throat and finger carriage of Staphylococcus aureus was investigated in a series of random samples from a normal European population.

No evidence for a seasonal trend in carriage was found but the intersample variation between successive random samples was obtained. The mean nasal carrier rate was 29 % with a standard deviation of 7 %.

No association was found between nasal or throat carriage of staphylococci and stay in hospital or antibiotic therapy but respondents with penicillin-resistant staphylococci in the nose had skin infections more frequently than those with penicillin-sensitive strains.

Evidence was obtained for a family, perhaps genetic, ‘predisposition’ to carry staphylococci in the nose.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1967

References

REFERENCES

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