Does Attending Clinical Wards Increase Nasal Carriage of Staphylococcus Aureus Among Medical Students?

Abstract

Objectives: The carriage rates of S. aureus among medical students were reported to notably increase after they attended medical wards. We aimed to investigate the nasal colonization rates of S. aureus in medical students and assess whether attending clinical wards has an impact on nasal carriage rates of S. aureus.

Methods: Medical students from Namik Kemal University were divided into two groups, ‘preclinical’ and ‘clinical’. Nasal swabs from both anterior nares were obtained and transferred to the laboratory for culturing.

Results: Community-acquired methicilline-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) was detected in 2 out of 75 students (2.66%) in the preclinical group. In the clinical group, 3 out of 75 students (4%) were carriers for community-acquired MSSA. No statistically significant difference in terms of MSSA carriage was observed between the groups (p>0.05, p=0.649). Neither community-acquired methicilline-resistant S. aureus nor hospital-acquired S. aureus was detected.

Conclusions: The results of the study indicated that attending clinical wards did not increase nasal carriage rates in medical school students. Low carriage rates may be explained by strict adherence to the rules of disinfection and antisepsis by the medical students attending clinical wards and the comprehensive hygienic precautions taken by the infection control committee of the hospital. 

Keywords

• Nasal carriage; Staphylococcus aureus; medical students; clinical wards

Does Attending Clinical Wards Increase Nasal Carriage of Staphylococcus Aureus Among Medical Students?

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Kaynakça

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