+44 330 818 7254Eyoh A, Toukam M, Okomo Assoumou M.C, Fokunang C Atashilli J et al
Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus (NC-SA) by hospital personnel can be an important source of nosocomial infections. This study aimed at determining the prevalence and risk factors associated with nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus among hospital personnel of three healths institutions in Yaounde, Cameroon. A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed from the month of June to August 2008. The specimens from the anterior nares of 245 consenting hospital personnel were cultured on Mannitol salt agar. S. aurues identification was based on morphology, Gram stain, catalase production, presence of clumping factor and protein A, and biochemical properties. Fifty-eight personnel had a nasal carriage of SA, an overall prevalence of (23.7%). The difference in prevalence among study sites was statistically significant (p= 0.013). There was no significant association between carriage and sex (p=0.426), age (p=0.790), cigarette consumption (p=0.519), history of S. aurues infection (p=0.666) and duration of hospital staff in service (p=0.695). The prevalence of NC-SA in this population of health personnel was similar to estimates earlier reported for the general population. However, the study showed the need for the health personnel to be routinely educated on aseptic practices and improved good hospital health practice regulatory compliance with the aim of reducing the potential to transmit SA to vulnerable groups patients who are often more susceptible to infection than the general population.
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