NASAL COLONIZATION WITH METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN THE COMMUNITY

Staphylococcus aureus isolates are common causes of skin and soft tissue infections and other invasive infections. Those due to methicillin resistant strains represent a therapeutic challenge. Currently there is an increase in cases due to community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) but the rate of colonization of the healthy population is unknown in our country. The purpose of this study was to determine nasal carriage in sportsmen and people living in nursing homes in Rosario. Nasal swabs of 101 people staying in 4 nursing homes and of 98 from 7 groups of athletes were obtained. The samples were extracted, preserved, and cultured by conventional methods. PCR was performed in order to study the type of staphylococcal chromosome cassette mecA (SCCmecA) gene and the gene encoding the Panton-Valentine leukocidin. S. aureus was isolated in 48 patients (24.1%), of which 40 were methicillin-sensitive S. Aureus (20.1 %), and 8 methicillin resistant S. aureus (4.0%). Five cases were characterized phenotypically and genotypically as CA-MRSA (2.5%). All of them had type IV SCCmecA. Careful surveillance is required because skin and soft tissue infections in the community should not be treated with beta-lactam antibiotics.