Staphylococcal nasal carriage and subsequent infection in peritoneal dialysis patients
C. M. Sewell, J. Clarridge, C. Lacke, E. J. Weinman and E. J. Young
Thirty patients undergoing long-term home-based peritoneal dialysis were
monitored for 13 months for carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in the nares
and for the development of infectious complications. The patients could be
divided into three groups with regard to S aureus carriage: chronic,
intermittent, and noncarriers. Twenty-five episodes of peritonitis and 20
episodes of catheter exit-site infections occurred during 268
patient-months of observation. Staphylococcus aureus accounted for eight
episodes of peritonitis and 12 episodes of exit-site infection. Chronic and
intermittent carriers of S aureus were found to be at higher risk of
development of infection than noncarriers.
