Carriage of potentially pathogenic bacteria in the hair

Abstract

Abstract Using an improved technique for sampling, the carriage rate of Gram-negative bacilli and Staphylococcus aureus in the hair was studied in two groups of surgical inpatients and two control groups drawn from the hospital stag and a hospital outpatients' clinic. No significant differences in the hair carriage rate of Gram-negative bacilli were observed between the patients and the control groups, or between patients with and without Gram-negative wound infection. The hair carriage rate of Staph. aureus was highest in the hospital staff group, and was significantly higher also in the outpatient control group than in the inpatient groups. The potential implications of these findings on hospital infection are discussed.