Staphylococcus aureusand MRSA Colonization Rates among Gravidas Admitted to Labor and Delivery: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective. To determine colonization rates ofStaphylococcus aureusgiven the potential for future intervention trials aimed at reducing surgical-site infectious morbidity, and to estimate methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) rates in our patient population.Study design. Prospective pilot investigation comprising data from 104 gravidas admitted to an urban labor and delivery unit. All underwent anterior nares culture collection with a subset also undergoing vaginal culture collection.Results. Twenty-two percent of women were colonized in the anterior nares. Of the 28 women who had vaginal cultures collected, 4/28 (14.2%) demonstratedStaphylococcus aureuscolonization. There was 82% concordance between the nares and vagina. Nine percent of isolates were MRSA strains. Overall, 2/96 (2.1%) of women were MRSA-colonized.Conclusions. Rates ofStaphylococcus aureuscolonization among gravidas entering labor and delivery are modest and consistent with the general population. MRSA rates among gravidas appear to be reassuringly low in this pilot study.