Exposure to hospital environments of limited duration did not cause an increase in the nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus whether they are methicillin resistant or sensitive. 56% of MRSA isolated were resistant to erythromycin and lincomycin and more than 50% of those are resistant to gentamicin as well. No vancomycin resistance was encountered. Resistance to other anti-microbials was uncommon among MRSA. One MRSA strain possessed the pvl but not mec A gene. All other mec A positive strains did not have the pvl gene.
Key words: nasal carriage, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), methicillin sensitive staphyloccus aureus (MSSA), mec A gene, pvl gene.