Tea and coffee consumption linked to lower MRSA carriage rates

January 01, 0001

Tea and coffee consumption linked to lower MRSA carriage rates

This group of US researchers examined the link between consumption of tea and coffee with nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) via a secondary analysis of data from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This study looked at only non-institutionalized patients.

The researchers found: "An estimated 2.5 million persons (1.4% of the population) were MRSA nasal carriers. In an adjusted logistic regression analysis controlling for age, race, sex, poverty-income ratio, current health status, hospitalization in the past 12 months, and use of antibiotics in the past month, individuals who reported consuming hot tea were one-half as likely to have MRSA nasal carriage relative to individuals who drank no hot tea (odds ratio = 0.47). Similarly, individuals who reported consuming coffee had about a one-half reduction in the risk of MRSA nasal carriage relative to individuals who drank no coffee (odds ratio = 0.47)."

The researchers concluded: "Consumption of hot tea or coffee is associated with a lower likelihood of MRSA nasal carriage. Our findings raise the possibility of a promising new method to decrease MRSA nasal carriage that is safe, inexpensive, and easily accessible."

This study suggest a novel way to decrease nasal MRSA carriage through consumption of tea or coffee. As an intervention this needs to be tested in future studies.

For the full abstract, click here.

Annals of Family Medicine 9(4):299-304, July 2011 © 2011 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.
Tea and Coffee Consumption and MRSA Nasal Carriage. Eric M. Matheson, Arch G. Mainous III, Charles J. Everett, and Dana E. King. Correspondence to Eric M. Matheson: Matheson@musc.edu

Category: A. General/Unspecified. Keywords: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, tea, coffee, carrier, epidemiologic study, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Paul Schaefer, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 11 November 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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