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Nasal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus is a risk factor for subsequent infection with this organism. The emergence of community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) infections has prompted questions about the prevalence of MRSA nasal colonization in the general population. Now, CDC investigators have reported results from a nationally representative survey of such colonization, performed as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Of 18,626 people who were interviewed and had nares cultures performed between 2001 and 2004, 30.4% were colonized with S. aureus, and 1.2% were colonized with MRSA. A comparison of data from 2003–2004 with those from 2001–2002 (Journal Watch Infectious Diseases Feb 7 200…