Key role for clumping factor B in Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization of humans.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus permanently colonizes the vestibulum nasi of one-fifth of the human population, which is a risk factor for autoinfection. The precise mechanisms whereby S. aureus colonizes the nose are still unknown.

Direct detection of human Staphylococcus aureus carriage in the nose using the Lightcycler Staphylococcus kit.

The Lightcycler Staphylococcus kit is a diagnostic tool for direct real-time detection of Staphylococcus aureus in clinical materials. We show here that detection of S. aureus nasal carriage using this test is hampered by competition of DNA from coagulase-negative staphylococci.