Prevalence of and risk factors associated with the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in the chronic wounds of patients treated in primary health care settings in Brazil.

Introduction: Wounds can be colonized by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Methods: We evaluated the prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA in the wounds of patients treated at Basic Health Units in Brazil and identified risk factors associated with their presence. Results: The prevalence rates of S. aureus and MRSA were 51.5% and 8.7%, respectively. There was a correlation between the presence of S. aureus in wounds and nostrils (p<0.01). A positive association was detected between S. aureus infection and previous benzylpenicillin use (p=0.02). No associations were observed for MRSA. Conclusions: Multidrug-resistant pathogens are present in primary healthcare settings in Brazil.