Molecular Evidence that Nasal Carriage of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Plays a Role in Respiratory Tract Infections of Critically Ill Patients

Abstract

The relationship between nasal Staphylococcus aureus carriage and lower respiratory tract infections was studied in 16 critically ill patients. S. aureus strains from nasal and bronchial samples were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. In all but one case, nasal and bronchial strains were genetically identical in the same patients.