Prevalence of cutaneous bacterial infections and nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in recipients of renal transplants

Background.  Renal transplant recipients (RTRs) often develop bacterial infections as a result of their long-term immunosuppressive treatment. However, there is no published case–control study of cutaneous bacterial infections in this population, and the prevalence of nasal Staphyloccus aureus carriage and its role in cutaneous bacterial infections in RTRs are not known.
Aims.  To determine whether the prevalence of cutaneous bacterial infections and nasal S. aureus carriage are increased in RTRs and to investigate the association between nasal S. aureus carriage and cutaneous staphylococcal infections.
Methods.  In total, 66 outpatient RTRs and 67 controls were investigated for the presence of cutaneous bacterial infections. Bacterial cultures were taken from clinically suspicious cutaneous lesions, and three nasal swabs were collected to detect nasal S. aureus colonization.
Results.  Cutaneous bacterial infection was suspected in 42.4% of RTRs, and in 14.2% of controls. However, of the lesions that could be cultured, microbiologically proven cutaneous bacterial [methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA)] infections were confirmed in only two RTRs and one control subject. Nasal S. aureus carriage was found in 10.6% of RTRs and 29.9% of controls ( P  < 0.05). Both RTRs with MSSA infection were nasal carriers, whereas nasal S. aureus carriage was not detected in the only control subject with MSSA infection. All S. aureus isolates were oxacillin-sensitive.
Conclusion.  Screening for nasal S. aureus carriage does not seem to assist in preventing staphylococcal bacterial infections in outpatient RTRs.