SUPPRESSION OF NASAL, SKIN, AND AERIAL STAPHYLOCOCCI BY NASAL APPLICATION OF METHICILLIN*

Abstract

Nasal administration of methicillin L6-(2, 6-dimethoxybenz-amido)penicillin] rapidly decrease both the number of nasal carriers of staphylococci and the number of staphylococci isolated from patients who remained carriers. Approximately 1/3 of treated patients reacquired staphylococci of the same phage types as those present before therapy; in 1/3 of the patients different phage types of staphylococci were isolated after treatment; and 1/3 remained noncarriers. Staphylococci isolated after treatment were less frequently multiple-drug-resistant than those isolated before treatment. Depression of nasal staphylococci was followed by a rapid reduction of skin staphylococci and of aerial dissemination of these organisms.