Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal colonization prevalence among emergency medical services (EMS) personnel

Introduction. The prevalence of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization among emergency medicine services (EMS) personnel is not well studied. MRSA colonization can be a health hazard for personnel and patients.;Research question. I hypothesized that the prevalence of MRSA colonization among EMS Personnel is higher than among the general population.;Methodology. MRSA colonization among EMS personnel selected from two different jurisdictions in the USA was investigated. Nasal swabbing was performed and inoculated onto a special agar medium (C-MRSAgar). Polymerase chain reaction test was performed.;Findings. Samples and data were collected from 110 volunteers. Among the subjects seven samples were positive for MRSA (6.4% P ≤ 0.0003; 95% CI [0.018, 0.110]). The prevalence of MRSA colonization among the general population is 1.5%.;Conclusion. There is evidence that EMS personnel have a higher prevalence of MRSA colonization than the general population. This can be a risk to patients and an occupational hazard.