Document Type : Original Article
Authors
- Melody Omraninava 1
- مرادی moradi 2
- عشق دوست Esh-gh Doost Shalmani 2
- iraj mohammadi 3
- Mojtaba Nabili 3
- Niloufar Ghasemimaher 2
1 Department of Infectious Disease, Hospital administration research, Sar. C., Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran.
2 Student research committee, Sar. C., Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran.
3 Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Sar. C., Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran.
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections and may asymptomatically colonize the anterior nares, particularly among individuals exposed to healthcare environments such as medical students. Due to the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains, identification of nasal carriers and evaluation of their resistance patterns are of great importance. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 104 medical students (interns and trainees) at Valiasr Hospital, Qaemshahr, in 2024. Nasal swab samples were collected from the anterior nares of participants and cultured on blood agar and mannitol salt agar media. Bacterial identification was performed using biochemical tests including catalase, coagulase, and DNase. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, and associations between variables were evaluated using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests.
The results showed that 21 participants (20%) were nasal carriers of S. aureus. Among these isolates, 8 cases (38%) demonstrated antibiotic resistance. No significant association was found between carrier status and variables such as gender, blood group, or underlying diseases (p>0.05). However, previous antibiotic use (p=0.02) and older age (p=0.044) were significantly associated with nasal carriage.
These findings suggest that medical students may serve as potential reservoirs for S. aureus transmission in hospital settings. The observed antibiotic resistance highlights the need for regular screening programs, infection control education, and continuous monitoring of antibiotic resistance among healthcare-associated populations.
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