Abstract
ABSTRACT Objective The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of patients with colonization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the nasal mucosa, who underwent elective spinal procedures. Methods Retrospective study of the medical records of all patients submitted to elective procedures, totaling 125 individuals in the period of 2015 and 2017, performed by two spinal surgeons of the Orthopedics and Traumatology Service of Hospital Mater Dei, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The pre-operative investigation of MRSA consisted of the collection of a nasal swab for microbiological culture. Results Of the 125 patients evaluated, three (2.4%) showed positive results for MRSA nasal colonization. This prevalence is consistent with the international literature, that ranges from 1.5 to 5.9%. Of these patients none had infection of the surgical wound, probably due to the preoperative prophylactic measures. Conclusions Despite the limitations of the study, we found that the prevalence of carriers of this nasal MRSA population is similar to that of populations worldwide . Level of evidence III; Retrospective Study.
Highlights
Staphylococcus aureus is a facultative anaerobic bacterium described for the first time in 1880 by Alexander Ogston.[1]
The preoperative investigation for colonization by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in our service consists of a swab of both nostrils that is submitted to the standard microbiological culture methods
This study focused on the prevalence of nasal colonization by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus among the healthy patients who underwent spinal surgical procedures between 2015 and 2017 in two large hospitals
Summary
Staphylococcus aureus is a facultative anaerobic bacterium described for the first time in 1880 by Alexander Ogston.[1] It is an immobile, Gram positive, non-sporulated, coagulase positive coccus without a capsule or with a limited capsule. It is found in the external environment and is part of the normal human microbiota. Under normal conditions it is not pathogenic, but when there is a break in the cutaneous barrier or a reduction in immunity it can cause infections and complications that range from cellulitis to sepsis.[2] Among these conditions, we highlight early infection of the surgical wound as an important cause of complications in orthopedic surgeries.
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