Quantitative evaluation of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in swine veterinarians

摘要

Close contact with livestock has been shown to be associated with elevated risk of S. aureus carriage, including MRS A, in farmers and veterinarians.1 We conducted a longitudinal study to understand the dynamics of S. aureus colonization in US swine veterinarians. Based on results of nasal swabs collected monthly from 66 participants over 18 months, 24 and 41 vets were classified as persistent carriers or intermittent carriers of S. aureus respectively (one vet was consistently culture negative). Therisk factors for persistent carriage of S. aureus are poorly understood, but host factors may be important. The aim of this study was to assess whether previous carriage status was associated with the quantity of S. aureus detectable in nasal swab samples.