Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in Australian (pre-clinical and clinical) medical students

The nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in 808 Australian medical students was studied. Five groups of students experienced varying degrees of clinical exposure in a hospital environment ranging from 0 to 42 months. The overall percentage of carriers among the five groups did not vary. However, with increasing clinical exposure there was a decrease in the percentage of isolates sensitive to all antibiotics tested, and an increase in the carriage of S. aureus resistant to three or more antibiotics. No carriers of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were detected. The comparative rates of S. aureus carriage between female and male students varied. The relevance of medical students as nasal carriers of S. aureus in the hospital environment today is discussed.