Screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in community-recruited injection drug users: are throat swabs necessary?

Epidemiol Infect. 2012 Sep;140(9):1721-4. doi: 10.1017/S0950268811002421. Epub 2011 Dec 13.

Abstract

We examined and described colonization of MRSA in the anterior nares and throat from 184 community-recruited injection drug users. Thirty-seven (20%) were positive for MRSA: most (34, 92%) were carriers in the nares; while only three (8%) were carriers detected by throat swabs alone. The majority (29, 78%) of MRSA isolates were PVL positive.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Toxins / chemistry
  • British Columbia / epidemiology
  • Comorbidity
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Exotoxins / chemistry
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukocidins / chemistry
  • Leukocidins / genetics
  • Male
  • Methicillin / pharmacology*
  • Methicillin Resistance*
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Nasal Cavity / microbiology
  • Pharynx / microbiology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Prevalence
  • Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Exotoxins
  • Leukocidins
  • Panton-Valentine leukocidin
  • leukocidin S-component protein, Staphylococcus
  • LukF protein, Staphylococcus aureus
  • Methicillin