Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in the elderly.
The point prevalence and incidence of Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin-sensitive and -resistant) carriage by inpatients on acute elderly care wards was estimated. The relationship to body site and to previous admissions to hospital or other institutions was determined. Fifty-five patients were included in the point prevalence study and 136 in the incidence study, which was performed over a two-month period. One in three patients carried S. aureus and 1 in 20 was infected. The incidence rate for MRSA was 2.9%. No endemic strain was found. Nostrils were significantly associated with carriage, and skin break isolates were significant in the point prevalence survey. Screening these sites alone would be most cost effective.
Age Distribution↗