Staphylococcal nasal carriage in mothers, babies and staff in a maternity hospital

Abstract

The nasal carriage of 407 mothers before, during and after admission to a maternity hospital and that of their babies during and after hospital stay was investigated together with the nasal carriage by the hospital staff.The nasal carrier rate among mothers admitted to hospital was 38%, 40% of these strains being resistant to penicillin.The nasal carrier rate among the nursing staff was 38 and 72% of these were resistant to penicillin.If a population is swabbed only once approximately 25% of the carriers will be missed. Those showing slight carriage were no more likely to be missed than those showing heavy carriage. The concentration of organisms in the nose is evidently varying continuously.Heavy carriers are no more likely to transmit than light carriers and it is therefore not right to report on the profusion or otherwise of growth if that implies a greater chance of transmission.The biggest increase in resistance among nursing staff strains occurred in the non-typable group which could be explained by resistance to phage developing concurrent with resistance to antibiotics.The difference in phage-distribution between patient and staff strains centred in group II which formed 19% of patient strains but only 7% of hospital strains.The carrier rate was no higher for those with a history of hospital admission within 12 months or without a history of staphylococcal sepsis.Those giving a history of penicillin therapy had the same resistance rate as those without a history of such therapy.

Staphylococcus pyogenes and the Barber's Shop

“…On a purely numerical basis, the percentage of positive isolations might not be regarded as high, being at least half the average nasal carrier rate detected during a recent survey of mothers admitted to a maternity unit in this city (Anderson et al, 1961). However, opportunities for dissemination of the strains and initiation of infection are great, and when viewed in this light the results assume greater significance.…”

Staphylococcal sepsis in mothers and newborn babies

“…The figures obtained in the present study fully support this thesis. Lepper et al (1955) made observations of a similar sort with regard to student nurses and Anderson, Coulter & Keynes (1961) suggested the direct inoculation of the nasal mucosa of Staph. aureus-carriers with cultures of a selected strain of Staph.…”

The Otolaryngological Hazards of the Perinatal Period

“…Staphylococcal infection is very common in the newborn. It is known to be endemic in small enclosed communities, and the anterior nares are recognized to be a reservoirof infection (Anderson et al 1961). The carrier rate in nurses is the same as that in mothers, suggesting that 35 % of any given population are predisposed to be carriers.…”