Predicting the Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Carrier State: Derivation and Validation of a "Culture Rule"

Abstract
Background. To study determinants and risks of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage, adequate differentiation between the different S. aureus carrier states is obligatory. We set out to develop a “culture rule” capable of differentiating between persistent and intermittent or noncarriers that uses a minimum of nasal swab cultures.