Nasal colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus among hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed influenza

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal swabs from 148 adult patients with influenza were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction for Staphylococcus aureus and or Streptococcus pneumoniae. We found that patients colonized with S. pneumoniae were younger, had lower oxygen saturations, and were more likely to require admission to critical care.

Keywords: Coinfection; Influenza virus; Nasal colonization; Staphylococcus aureus; Streptococcus pneumoniae.