% of people carrying MRSA

% of people carrying MRSA

• A. About 1%
• B. About 5%
• C. About 10%
• D. About 20%

Answer: (A)

MRSA carriage means someone harbors methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on the skin or in the nose without symptoms. In the general population, the rate of such asymptomatic carriers is about 1%—roughly 1 in 100 people. This low baseline is why infection-control practices in tattoo and piercing settings emphasize universal precautions, proper hand hygiene, and strict disinfection and single-use tools to prevent transmission from the small number who may be carriers. The higher percentages would suggest a much more common carriage in everyday life, which isn’t the typical baseline for the general population. So, the best estimate among the options is about 1%.

MRSA carriage means someone harbors methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on the skin or in the nose without symptoms. In the general population, the rate of such asymptomatic carriers is about 1%—roughly 1 in 100 people. This low baseline is why infection-control practices in tattoo and piercing settings emphasize universal precautions, proper hand hygiene, and strict disinfection and single-use tools to prevent transmission from the small number who may be carriers. The higher percentages would suggest a much more common carriage in everyday life, which isn’t the typical baseline for the general population. So, the best estimate among the options is about 1%.