Nasal carriage of staphylococcus aureus in Burmese with a note on antibiotic sensitivities

ABSTRACT

134 Burmese children and adults from urban and hospital areas in Rangoon were examined for nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus. 77.4 per cent of 62 individuals in an urban group, 78.33 per cent of 60 nurses, doctors and medical students, 73.43 per cent of 64 Lady Health Visitor trainees, and 10 of 12 surgical patients carried S. aureus in the nares. There was no significant difference in the over-all carriage rates of urban, hospital and Lady Health Visitor trainee groups. 14 infants in a maternity hospital were examined for nasal carriage of S. avreus from the day of birth until until the day of discharge from hospital. All 14 infants carried S. aureus in the nares by the 4th day of life. Antibiotic sensivitities to benzyl penicillin, phenethicillin, cloxacillin, methicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline were determined in 106 strains of S. aureus of both urban and hospital origin. 79.5 per cent of 44 urban strains were sensitive to benzyl penicillin, 15.9 per cent moderately resistant and 4.6 per cent resistant. All 44 strains were sensitive to the other antibiotics used. 73.9 per cent of 46 hospital strains were sensitive to benzyl penicillin, 17.4 per cent moderately resistant and 8.7 per cent resistant. 91.3 per cent were sensitive to streptomycin and 8.7 per cent resistant to this antibiotic. All 46 strains were sensitive to the other antibiotics used. There was no significant difference in the benzyl penicillin resistance rates in hospital and urban strains of S. aureus. Neomycin and chlorhexidine ("Naseptin") nasal cream therapy ws attempted in 4 carriers of S. aureus. Therapy appeared effective in 3 of the 4.