Background/Objective: An outbreak of nosocomial infections through nasal carriage of organisms by health care workers may also occur. The health care workers (who are in close contact with the patients are possible sources of hospital-acquired infections. Staphylococci are a leading cause of bacteremia, surgical wound infections and nosocomial infection in many areas around the globe. The objective of this study was to determine the nasal carriage rate of Staphylococcus aureus among health care workers in a pediatric intensive care unit. Methods: Twenty six healthcare workers in a pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital were included. Cultures from the anterior nares were obtained using a sterile cotton tip swab, which was moistened with sterile normal saline solution. Samples were then analyzed using standard microbiological methods. The susceptibilities of the isolates to antibiotics were then determined by the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. Nasal carriage rate of Staphylococcus aureus was determined. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 35 years (range 22-56) old. There were 20 nurses (76.9%), 4 (15.4%) nurse assistants, and 2(7.7%) utility workers; 3 (11. 5%) were males and 23 (88.5%) were females. Two subjects (7.7%) grew Staphylococcus aureus. Both reported 100% sensitivity to all tested antibiotics except for Penicillin G which showed 100% resistance. Twenty four of the subjects (92.3%) grew Staphylococcus epidermidis, 5 (20.83%) were methicillin resistant. All showed 100% sensitivity to Gatifloxacin, Levofloxacin, Oxacillin, and Vancomycin. There was high resistance (62.5%) to Penicillin G. Conclusion The nasal carriage rate (7.7%) of Staphylococcus aureus in this study is lower compared to earlier reports. The results of this study showed higher nasal carriage of Staphylococcus epidermidis (92.3%).
Staphylococcus ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus