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S. Aureus Isolation from the Lesions, the Hands, and the Anterior Nares of Patients with Atopic Dermatitis
Author(s) -
Williams Judith V.,
Vowels Benjamin R.,
Honig Paul J.,
Leyden James J.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
pediatric dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.542
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1525-1470
pISSN - 0736-8046
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1470.1998.tb01313.x
Subject(s) - anterior nares , medicine , staphylococcus aureus , atopic dermatitis , dermatology , isolation (microbiology) , colonization , transmission (telecommunications) , disease , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , electrical engineering , engineering , biology , genetics
Staphylococcus aureus colonization is common in atopic dermatitis (AD) and can exacerbate the disease. Additionally, some evidence shows that patients with AD may act as reservoirs for S. aureus transmission to others. This study compared S. aureus colonization in AD patients and their caregivers with control patients and their caregivers. Quantitative cultures were obtained from the lesions, clinically normal skin, hands, and anterior nares of 100 patients with AD, 100 controls with other cutaneous disorders, and 200 caregivers. AD patients had a significantly greater carriage of S. aureus from lesional and clinically normal skin as well as the hand. Significant increases in carriage of S. aureus were found in the anterior nares and hands of caregivers of AD patients compared with control caregivers. Topical corticosteroid use did not affect recovery of S. aureus . There was a significant correlation between recovery of S. aureus from lesional skin and recovery from the anterior nares (p = .002) and hands (p < .0001). These findings suggest that the anterior nares and the hands may be important reservoirs and vectors for transmission of S. aureus to lesional skin and to close contacts of these patients.