Dynamics and Determinants of Staphylococcus aureus Carriage in Infancy: the Generation R Study

• Published in: Journal of Clinical Microbiology Vol. 46; no. 10; pp. 3517 - 3521
• Main Authors: Lebon, Ankie, Labout, Joost A.M, Verbrugh, Henri A, Jaddoe, Vincent W.V, Hofman, Albert, van Wamel, Willem, Moll, Henriette A, van Belkum, Alex
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01.10.2008; American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
• Subjects: Age Factors; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Carrier State - epidemiology; Carrier State - microbiology; Epidemiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Nose - microbiology; Prevalence; Staphylococcal Infections - epidemiology; Staphylococcal Infections - microbiology; Staphylococcus aureus - isolation & purification; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Micrococcaceae; Microbiology; Staphylococcus aureus
• ISSN: 0095-1137; 1098-660X
• DOI: 10.1128/JCM.00641-08

Serial nasal swabs were collected at the ages of 1.5, 6, and 14 months from 443 infants in the Generation R Study. The objective was to study the dynamics and determinants of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in the first year of life. The prevalence of S. aureus carriage decreased in the first year of life, from 52.1% at the age of 1.5 months to 12.9% at 14 months. Persistent carriage, defined as continuous carriage of the same S. aureus strain at the three sampling moments, was rarely detected in early infancy.