Prevalence of staphylococci in rheumatoid arthritis patients

ABSTRACT

Recent studies suggested that staphylococcal exotoxin may be involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of oral staphylococcal carriage in patients with RA compared with healthy controls. This study was performed on 27 patients with RA and 25 healthy volunteers. Clinical and laboratory data of RA activity were studied. Tongue and anterior nasal swabs were obtained for culture on blood agar. Isolates of staphylococci were identified and collected from oral cavity of 96.3% of RA patients, 53.8% of whom carried staphy. aureus. On the other hand 88% of the healthy volunteers showed staphylococci, 36.4% of whom carried staph aureus. The carriage rate of staph aureus was significantly higher in RA patients than in healthy controls [P<0.05]. So we conclude that the oral carriage of staph. aureus was common in patients with RA. This may be the source of septic arthritis in such patients