A Study on Frequency of Nasal Staphylococcus Aureus Colonization in Children From Kindergartens in Isfahan City, Iran



Rahimi H^{1, 2} ; Loghmani M^{1, 2} ; Shoaei P^{3, 5} ; Dibaj R⁴ ; Ataei B^{3, 5} ; Daeinaser A^{3, 5} ; Shojaei H⁶ Show Affiliations
Source: Journal of Isfahan Medical School Published:2014

Abstract

Background: Colonization of Staphylococcus aureus causes a significantly greater risk for transmission and development of subsequent infections. The nose appears to be the most important site for this colonization. Colonization of Staphylococcus aureus is more prevalent in places where people are in close contact, such as kindergartens. In current study, we evaluated the frequency of colonization of Staphylococcus aureus in nasal swab samples taken from children in kindergartens of Isfahan city, Iran. Methods: In this across-sectional study carried out in 2009, children aged 2-6 years were included. The socio-demographic information was collected by the help of their parents. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated and identified from nasal swabs via standard microbiologic methods. The chi-square method was used for statistical analysis. Findings: Out of 323 nasal swabs taken from children, Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated and identified from 115 (35.6%) samples. In addition, the median age of Staphylococcus aureus negative children (5.7 ± 1.0 years) was higher than the positive ones (5.0 ± 0.8 years) (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Our data showed that almost one third of children were colonized by the nasal Staphylococcus aureus. This indicates a high prevalence in Iranian children comparable to that of findings from other countries. The high prevalence found in this study could be alarming for more studies using more advanced techniques to assign the types and mode of transmission among children. © 2014, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.