Colonization by methicillin resistant staphylococci of nares and skin in healthcare workers : a pilot study in spinal surgeries

Introduction Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) colonization among healthcare workers (HCWs) may have implications in development of infections and in spreading of resistance. This study aimed to determine the rate of methicillin-resistant staphylococci carriage in HCWs of spinal surgeries in an Italian Orthopaedic Institute. Materials and methods Samples from nares, axillae and hands were inoculated onto appropriate media in order to perform colony counts of methicillin-susceptible and resistant S. aureus and CoNS. Results Prevalence of S. aureus and CNS was 42.3% and 98%, respectively. Methicillin-resistance was rather infrequent in S. aureus (13.5%) while it was detected in most of CoNS (90.4%). Methicillin resistant S. aureus were prevalently isolated from nares while axillae showed the highest methicillin-resistant CoNS colonization rates. Conclusions A relatively high rate of methicillin resistant staphylococci was found among HCWs in spinal surgeries wards, thus evidencing the need for careful prevention measures and for periodic evaluation of spread among HCWs.