[Relationship between ocular surface infection or colonization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and nasal carriage].

PURPOSE: To study the relationship between ocular surface colonization or infection and nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) among patients at high risk of infection and those who have already been infected. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We isolated MRSA from ocular surface and anterior nares in 35 patients at high risk of MRSA colonization and from 4 patients who had developed an active MRSA ocular infection in the conjunctiva. RESULTS: Of the 7 patients who were carriers of conjunctival MRSA, 5 patients (78%) were found to be carriers of MRSA in the anterior nares. This ratio of nasal carriers is very high compared to the 11% in 28 patients without MRSA in the conjunctiva. All 4 cases who had active infections of MRSA in the cornea or conjunctiva showed MRSA from the nares. Even after MRSA was negative in their eye lesions, MRSA colonization in their nares continued for a long time. CONCLUSION: A significant relationship exists between MRSA in the ocular surface and MRSA found in the nares.