ANSWER: (B) NoseREF: Jawetz Microbiology, 24th Ed Ch. 14Staphylococci are ubiquitous human parasites. The chief sources of infection are shedding human lesions, fomites contaminated from such lesions, and the human respiratory tract and skin. Contact spread of infection has assumed added importance in hospitals, where a large proportion of the staff and patients carry antibiotic-resistant staphylococci in the nose or on the skin. Although cleanliness, hygiene, and aseptic management of lesions can control the spread of staphylococci from lesions, few methods are available to prevent the wide dissemination of staphylococci from carriers. Aerosols (eg, glycols) and ultraviolet irradiation of air have little effect.To diminish transmission within the hospital setting, high risk patients, such as those in intensive care units and patients transferred from chronic care facilities where prevalence is high, are frequently surveyed for anterior nares colonization. Patients who test positive by culture or PCR are placed upon contact precautions so as to minimize spread on the hands of health care workers. Health care workers should strictly adhere to infection control policies by wearing gloves and washing hands before and after patient contact.Rifampin coupled with a second oral antistaphylococcal drug sometimes provides long - term suppression and possibly cure of nasal carriage; this form of therapy is usually reserved for major problems of staphylococcal carriage, because staphylococci can rapidly develop resistance to rifampin.