Loading...
Outbreaks of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection have been reported in newborn nurseries. This observation led investigators to estimate the prevalence of MRSA genital tract colonization among pregnant women and to assess the effect of such colonization on neonatal outcomes.
During a 3-year period in a single medical center, anogenital screening cultures for both group B streptococcus (GBS) and S. aureus were obtained during the third trimester from 5732 consecutive pregnant women. Overall, 22.9% of cultures were positive for GBS, and 14.5% were positive for S. aureus. Fully 24.3% of positive staph cultures were methicillin resistant for an overall MRSA colonization rate of 3.5%. Among GBS-positive women, relative ri…