Persistent Staphylococcus aureus Colonization Is Not a Strongly Heritable Trait in Amish Families

About 20% of adults are persistently colonized with S. aureus in the anterior nares. Host genetic factors could contribute susceptibility to this phenotype. The objective of this study was to determine whether the phenotype of persistent S. aureus colonization aggregates in family members who live in different households. Healthy adults and their eligible same sex siblings who lived in different households were recruited from the Old Order Amish of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. All participants had two cultures of the anterior nares to determine if they were persistently colonized with S. aureus. Three hundred and ninety eight participants finished the study, of whom 166 were index cases and 232 were siblings of index cases. Eighteen per cent (71/398) of all participants and 17% (29/166) of index cases were persistently colonized with S. aureus. Twenty two per cent (8/36) of siblings of persistently colonized index cases were persistently colonized with S. aureus compared to 17% (34/196) of siblings of non-persistently colonized index cases, yielding a prevalence rate ratio of 1.28 (95% CI: 0.65–2.54, p = 0.64) and sibling relative risk of 1.25 (95% CI: 0.65–2.38, p = 0.51). The heritability of persistent colonization was 0.19±0.21 (p = 0.31). Persistent S. aureus colonization does not strongly aggregate in Amish family members in different households and heritability is low, suggesting that environmental factors or acquired host factors are more important than host genetic factors in determining persistent S. aureus colonization in this community

Self-Forgiveness in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa

This study investigated whether low levels of self-forgiveness were associated with eating disorder symptomatology. Participating women (N = 51) had diagnoses of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or no eating disorder diagnosis. They completed 3 measures of self-forgiveness. Women with eating disorders had lower levels of self-forgiveness compared with control participants. Results suggest that incorporating self-forgiveness interventions into current eating disorder treatments should be evaluated in future research as they might enhance clinical outcomes

Description of study population and characteristics associated with <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> colonization among healthy, adult Old Order Amish in Lancaster County, PA, 2008–2009^*.

<p>*Values are mean ± SD or n (%).</p><p>†P values are from chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test or t-test, as appropriate.</p

Validation of two culture method to determine nasal <i>S. aureus</i> colonization status.

<p>Correlation between the two semi-quantitative cultures for <i>S. aureus</i> and the nine or more qualitative cultures for <i>S. aureus</i> results in study population, Spearman’s rho = 0.85, p value <0.01, EB is enrichment broth, CFU is colony forming units, SA is <i>S. aureus</i>.</p