Version 2: Brief Report: Nasal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus among community-dwelling older adults with comorbidities seeking follow-up medical care in Central Sri Lanka.

Older adults are more severely affected by infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria including Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We aimed to identify the MRSA colonization rates and associated factors among older adults aged more than 65-years-old. Among the 309 recruited, 152 (49.2%) were males. Self-collected nasal swabs were used to isolate Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA with routine microbiological methods. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 36 (11.7%) participants while 11 (3.6%) were colonized with MRSA. We identified a significant association between the male sex and MRSA colonization (p=0.028, Chi-square test). However, this needs careful interpretation given the smaller number of outcome events. Other factors studied had no statistically significant association with MRSA colonization.