Carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among hospital employees: prevalence, duration, and transmission to households.

Objective: To assess the prevalence and duration of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage among hospital employees and transmission to their households.

Design: A point-prevalence survey of MRSA carriage (nasal swabbing) of staff and patients throughout the hospital; a prevalence survey of MRSA carriage in 2 medical wards, with carriers observed to estimate carriage duration; and evaluation of transmission to MRSA-positive workers' families. All MRSA isolates were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.