Table 2 Main characteristics of 497 healthy children by Staphylococcus aureus carriage (positive nasal or oropharyngeal swab, or both

Age (years)

<10

199 (40.0)

99 (49.7)

100 (50.3)

10-14

213 (42.9)

117 (54.9)

96 (45.1)

≥15

85 (17.1)

48 (56.5)

37 (43.5)

0.46

Sex

Male

281 (56.5)

151 (53.7)

130 (46.3)

Female

216 (43.5)

113 (52.3)

103 (47.7)

0.75

Ethnicity ^a

Caucasian

420 (84.8)

219 (52.1)

201 (47.9)

Non-caucasian

75 (15.2)

45 (60.0)

30 (40.0)

0.21

No. of siblings ^a

0

127 (26.0)

66 (52.0)

61 (48.0)

1

270 (55.3)

143 (53.0)

127 (47.0)

2

69 (14.1)

38 (55.1)

31 (44.9)

≥3

22 (4.5)

14 (63.6)

8 (36.4)

0.37

Parental smoking habit ^a

Both non-smokers

390 (78.5)

207 (53.1)

183 (46.9)

At least one smoker

107 (21.5)

57 (53.3)

50 (46.7)

0.97

Gestational age (weeks) ^a

<37

50 (14.2)

22 (44.0)

28 (56.0)

≥37

301 (85.8)

161 (53.5)

140 (46.5)

0.21

Birth weight (g) ^a

<2,500

28 (7.8)

11 (39.3)

17 (60.7)

≥2,500

332 (92.2)

174 (52.4)

158 (47.6)

0.18

Exclusive breastfeeding ^a

No

113 (29.4)

54 (47.8)

59 (52.2)

Yes

271 (70.6)

141 (52.0)

130 (48.0)

0.45

Hospitalized for acute diseases in the last 3 months

No

474 (95.4)

254 (53.6)

220 (46.4)

Yes

23 (4.6)

10 (43.5)

13 (56.5)

0.34

Allergies ^a

No

317 (75.3)

166 (52.4)

151 (47.6)

Yes

104 (24.7)

55 (52.9)

49 (47.1)

0.93

Allergic sensitization ^a

No

338 (81.4)

172 (50.9)

166 (49.1)

Yes

77 (18.6)

45 (58.4)

32 (41.6)

0.23

Flu vaccination during current season ^a

No

365 (93.8)

185 (50.7)

180 (49.3)

Yes

24 (6.2)

11 (45.8)

13 (54.2)

0.65

Pneumococcal vaccination ^a

No

351 (71.0)

195 (55.6)

156 (44.4)

Yes

143 (29.0)

67 (46.8)

76 (53.1)

0.08

Meningococcal vaccination

No

303 (61.0)

168 (55.4)

135 (44.6)

Yes

194 (39.0)

96 (49.5)

98 (50.5)

0.19