Screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in community-recruited injection drug users: are throat swabs necessary?

SUMMARYWe examined and described colonization of MRSA in the anterior nares and throat from 184 community-recruited injection drug users. Thirty-seven (20%) were positive for MRSA: most (34, 92%) were carriers in the nares; while only three (8%) were carriers detected by throat swabs alone. The majority (29, 78%) of MRSA isolates were PVL positive.