Carriage of<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>in random samples of a normal population

Nose, throat and finger carriage of Staphylococcus aureus was investigated in a series of random samples from a normal European population. No evidence for a seasonal trend in carriage was found but the intersample variation between successive random samples was obtained. The mean nasal carrier rate was 29 % with a standard deviation of 7 %. No association was found between nasal or throat carriage of staphylococci and stay in hospital or antibiotic therapy but respondents with penicillin-resistant staphylococci in the nose had skin infections more frequently than those with penicillin-sensitive strains. Evidence was obtained for a family, perhaps genetic, ‘predisposition’ to carry staphylococci in the nose.