Nasal carriers of coagulase-positive staphylococci in a Nigerian hospital community

Nasal swabs taken from 324 subjects in a Nigerian hospital were examined for the presence of coagulase positive staphylococci. The subjects used in this study included the patients, staff and "auxiliaries" aged from one day to 70 years. The results obtained show that approximately 50% of all the subjects were nasal carriers of Staphylococcus aureus and that age, occupation and length of the subjects' stay in hospital had a significant effect on this figure. It was also found that there is no significant difference between the prevalence of nasal carriage of S. aureus amongst the hospital staff and the patients.