Rate of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in immunocompromised patientsreceiving haemodialysis treatment

Specimens from the nose and throat were collected from 28 long-term haemodi alysed patients. Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated from sixteen p atients who been on haemodialysis for over 113 months. Cytokine levels, as well as full blood cell differential counts and cell surface antigens were determined in these patients. The serum concentration of TGF-beta was signi ficantly higher in patients carrying Staphylococcus aureus. CD14 and HLA-DR molecule expression on monocytes, as well as NK cell percentage was signif icantly different in S. aureus carriers. Our preliminary results suggest th at immune status imbalance in haemodialysed patients could be related to th e high incidence of S. aureus nasal carriage and infections. (C) 2001 Elsev ier Science B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights rese rved.