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Comparative Study
. 2013 Jan;141(1):143-52.
doi: 10.1017/S0950268812000465. Epub 2012 Mar 22.

Prevalence and population structure of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in healthcare workers in a general population. The Tromsø Staph and Skin Study

K Olsen  1 , M Sangvik, G S Simonsen, J U E Sollid, A Sundsfjord, I Thune, A-S Furberg
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Prevalence and population structure of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in healthcare workers in a general population. The Tromsø Staph and Skin Study

K Olsen et al. Epidemiol Infect. 2013 Jan.

Abstract

Healthcare workers (HCWs) may be a reservoir for Staphylococcus aureus transmission to patients. We examined whether HCW status is associated with S. aureus nasal carriage and population structure (spa types) in 1302 women (334 HCWs) and 977 men (71 HCWs) aged 30-69 years participating in the population-based Tromsø Study in 2007-2008. Multivariable logistic regression models were used. While no methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was isolated, overall, 26·2% of HCWs and 26·0% of non-HCWs were S. aureus nasal carriers. For women overall and women residing with children, the odds ratios for nasal carriage were 1·54 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1·09-2·19] and 1·86 (95% CI 1·14-3·04), respectively, in HCWs compared to non-HCWs. Moreover, HCWs vs. non-HCWs had a 2·17 and 3·16 times higher risk of spa types t012 and t015, respectively. This supports the view that HCWs have an increased risk of S. aureus nasal carriage depending on gender, family status and spa type.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
The study population. TSSS, The Tromsø Staph and Skin Study; HCW, healthcare worker. * Invited to the TSSS. Age group <50 years: all subjects. Age group 50–87 years: random samples of subjects. † Not valid swab culture: 91 had no growth in swab culture, 37 had taken antibiotics last 24 h before visit (systemic or eye drops/ointments).
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Distribution of spa types in non-healthcare workers (non-HCWs) and healthcare workers (HCWs) at first visit, nasal swab cultures. The Tromsø Staph and Skin Study. spa types with ⩽3 observations are not shown (233 different spa types in 298 participants).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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