BMC Research Notes (Nov 2018)

Prevalence of nasal colonization by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in outpatients living with HIV/AIDS in a Referential Hospital of the Northeast of Brazil

  • Cynthia Regina Pedrosa Soares,
  • Celso Rodrigues de Lira,
  • Maximiliano Alexandre H. Cunha,
  • Valter Romão de Souza Junior,
  • Fábio Lopes de Melo,
  • Paulo Sergio Ramos de Araújo,
  • Maria Amélia Vieira Maciel

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-018-3899-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

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Abstract Objective The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of MRSA among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) being monitored in a tertiary outpatient hospital in the state of Pernambuco, in the Brazilian Northeast. Results Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from a nasal swab and found in 31.4% of the individuals (95% CI 27.3–35.5), of whom 4.4% (95% CI 8.5–19.5) were MRSA, as confirmed by the presence of the mecA gene. For individuals whose S. aureus was recovered, the mean age was 41.5 years; 93.6% were on antiretroviral treatment. This group had CD4 cell counts > 200 (92%) and viral load ≤ 100 copies (79.1%). Use of antimicrobial agents in the past 12 months was found among 21% of the individuals, and 24.2% reported use of illicit drugs at lease once in their lifetime. Prevalence of nasal colonization by MSSA (26.7%) and MRSA (4.4%) was higher in comparison to other studies of this population; nevertheless, we were unable to establish factors associated with risk.

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