Ecology of Nasal Staphylococci.

Davis, Nour A. (University of Lagos Medical School, Lagos, Nigeria), and G. H. G. Davis. Ecology of nasal staphylococci. J. Bacteriol. 89:1163-1168. 1965.-The rate of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in Nigerian adults (46%) approximates that found in other countries. The rate in infants under 12 months was ca. 70%, which exceeds that found elsewhere, e.g., England. The incidence of penicillin resistance in nasal staphylococci (50 to 60%) is about the same as has been found in strains isolated from infections in outpatients in urban centers in this country. Mannitol-polymyxin agar was used for the selection and differentiation of coagulase-positive staphylococci and proved to be valuable in such studies. Our results clearly show that the degree of colonization by S. aureus significantly influences, or is influenced by, the rate of incidence of other bacteria in the vestibular flora, particularly in the case of diphtheroids and coagulase-negative cocci. The relationship between the degree of nasal microbial colonization and social and other factors is discussed.