silent passengers: mrsa nasal carriage in high-risk surgical patients – insights from a six-month prospective study

Background:   nasal carriage of staphylococcus aureus, particularly methicillin-resistant strains, poses significant risks for healthcare-associated infections in surgical wards. this study aimed to determine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant s. aureus (mrsa nasal carriage among patients in cardiothoracic and neurosurgery units.methods:   this prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from january to july 2025 in cardiothoracic and neurosurgery wards of a tertiary care hospital. nasal swab samples were collected from 100 patients and processed for bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing using standard microbiological methods.results:   among 100 nasal swab samples, 36 (36%) yielded staphylococcus aureus growth, while 64 (64%) showed coagulase-negative staphylococci (cons) or gram-negative bacteria. of the 36 s. aureus isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed varying resistance patterns, with implications for infection control protocols in surgical settings.conclusion:   the study provides baseline data on s. aureus nasal carriage rates in high-risk surgical wards, emphasizing the need for targeted screening and decolonization protocols to prevent healthcare-associated infections.