THE EFFECT OF ANTIMICROBIAL DRUGS ON THE STAPHYLOCOCCAL FLORA OF HOSPITAL PATIENTS

Abstract
Staphylococcal carriers who receive antimicrobial drugs are the chief source of drug-resistant staphylococci of phage group III and of phage type 80/81. Whereas antimicrobial drugs influence the characteristics of staphylococci carried by patients and may temporarily suppress the carrier state they apparently do not affect the tendency of the host to be a carrier. Patients who are not nasal carriers of staphylococci may be exposed to the same environment as carriers for several months without becoming carriers. This suggests that the carrier state is controlled by unknown host factors which are independent of the environment.