Ternois I, Geffroy S, Brun Y, Lemeland J F, Etienne I, Fleurette J, Fillastre J P, Humbert G
Laboratoire de Bactériologie, CHU, Rouen, France.
Pathol Biol (Paris). 1993 Apr;41(4):428-33.
With the aim of improving the prevention of Staphylococcus aureus infections in hemodialysis patients, an evaluation of S. aureus nasal carriage was carried out at the hemodialysis center of CHU-Rouen between the 1st of January, 1991 and the 30th of June, 1991. The S. aureus strains were classified according to their antibiotypes, serotypes and lysotypes. The carriage rate appears to be similar to that of the general population but inferior to what has been previously reported in hemodialysis centers. We report our findings on nasal carriage strains. The risk of infection is low. The standards of hygiene, adopted by hospital personnel, seem to be effective although cross colonization may have possibly occurred. Taking into account the different epidemiologic circumstances encountered in each hemodialysis center it is, therefore, necessary to determine the rate of carriage and identify the personnel at risk (persistent carriers, patients with a previous history of S. aureus septicemia, meti-R strains) in order to implement prophylaxis accordingly to epidemic characteristics of each center.
