Nasal Carriage of Staphylococcus Aureus in Healthy Children and its Possible Bacteriophage Isolates in Basrah, Iraq
Nidham M. Jamalludeen*Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq
Abstract:
There is an evidence of high infections with community acquired Staphylococcus aureus among the healthy children. Anterior nasal colonization with S. aureus plays important role of spreading such infections with this organism. To evaluate the prevalence of S. aureus among healthy children, nasal swabs were collected from 119 children within the age from 1 month to 5 years. Parents or/and guardians combined the children were also interviewed for a questionnaire associated with the organism risk factors. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in percentage of 14.28% out of 119 samples processed; among these 41.2% were Methicillin resistant S. aureus. The carriage of the organism was significantly noticed between the age groups that were live with big family size and were not attending preschool. In this study, the prevalence of MRSA was relatively high. Three bacteriophages specific for s. aureus were isolated as a candidate for biocontrol or treatment of the nasal carriages.
Keywords: Bacteriophages; Basrah; Nasal Carriage; Staphylococcus aureus Back to TOC