Community versus hospital Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrobial susceptibilities and some features of nasal carriage and acquisition.

Susceptibility of community and hospital isolates of Staphylococcus aureus to 15 drugs has been tested. The organisms were isolated from the noses of White adults admitted to two general surgical units. Approximately half of each group were resistant to beta-lactamase-labile penicillins. Hospital staphylococci displayed a greater degree of multiple drug resistance and resistance to methicillin and erythromycin than did community strains. A nasal carriage rate of 28.6% was found among White patients admitted. A comparative survey of 54 Black adults from a rural community revealed a significantly lower rate (14.8%). On non-carriers admitted to hospital, 21.9% acquired S. aureus nasally.