Publication:

Prevalence of nasal carriage of MRSA in diabetic patients attending the outpatient department

Background Up to 30% of the human population is asymptomatically colonized with nasal Staphylococcus aureus. Study was done to determine the prevalence and risk factors for MRSA colonization as nasal carrier in a population of outpatients with diabetes.

Methods The study enrolled patients with diabetes from whom nasal swabs were obtained and were analyzed for presence of MRSA.

Results Out of the 402 patients evaluated, 254 (63.18%) were colonized with S. aureus and 164 (64.56%) of them were MRSA.

Conclusions Diabetes have more propensity for MRSA colonization than non-diabetic patients. A better understanding of the epidemiology and risk factors for nasal MRSA colonization in the persons with diabetes may have significant implications for the treatment and prevention of MRSA infections.