The treatment of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in pediatric peritoneal dialysis patients.

This study evaluates the dialysis-related infection rate in children receiving peritoneal dialysis with Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage. Children with S. aureus nasal carriage were randomized to treatment with rifampin and bacitracin or no treatment. The children were observed for one month after randomization for evidence of a S. aureus dialysis-related infection. Individuals with nasal carriage had a higher incidence of S. aureus dialysis-related infection than those patients without carriage (p < 0.05). Those children treated for nasal carriage had a lower dialysis-related infection rate than those who were untreated (p < 0.05). We conclude that children receiving peritoneal dialysis with nasal carriage of S. aureus are at a greater risk of developing a S. aureus dialysis-related infection. The treatment of nasal carriage in this population decreased the risk of a S. aureus dialysis-related infection.