Prevalence of Nasal Acinetobacter Colonization in Healthy Medical Students: A Single-University Study in Malaysia
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2. Abstract Acinetobacter baumannii is a critical multidrug-resistant pathogen in healthcare settings; however, data on asymptomatic colonization among medical students remain limited. This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of nasal Acinetobacter colonization among 95 medical students at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Malaysia. Nasal swabs and a health questionnaire were used to assess colonization status and potential risk factors. All participants reported good hygiene practices and lacked major risk factors for colonization (e.g., recent hospitalization, smoking, and diabetes). Following culture screening and molecular confirmation, no Acinetobacter species were detected in any nasal or environmental sample, corresponding to a prevalence of 0% (95% CI: 0–3.8%). These findings suggest that asymptomatic nasal carriage is likely negligible in this low-risk cohort, supporting consideration of risk-based screening strategies in which resources may be preferentially allocated to high-risk populations rather than routine screening of low-risk groups such as medical students.
