To the Editor-Even though methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization and infections have been extensively reported among users who inject illicit drugs, 1,2 studies addressing other illicit drug users (IDUs), 3 alcoholics and psychiatric patients are scarce. 4 Those latter groups are of special concern when admitted to acute-care or long-term care facilities. In these settings, MRSA colonization may be a predisposing factor for invasive infection and/or for spread of potentially hazardous clones. 5 With that in mind, we conducted a survey for asymptomatic colonization with overall Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA among patients from 2 psychiatric care hospitals in Botucatu, inner Brazil. Notably, the use of injection drugs is extremely rare in this country, while there is endemic prevalence of use of inhaled cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana smoking, and abuse of alcoholic beverages. 6 The study was conducted a reference hospital for short-term admissions of IDUs and alcoholics (70 beds) and a psychiatric hospital with both short and long-term admissions (80 beds). Nasal and oropharyngeal swabs were collected from patients upon admission, except for those in long-term care, who had their swabs collected during their hospital stay, which often lasted years. Species identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests followed current microbiology practices. MRSA was characterized by amplification of the mecA gene and typing of the staphylococcal chromosome cassette (SCCmec). Molecular strain typing was performed with smaI-or ApaI-based pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). A questionnaire was applied to study subjects in the moment of the collection of swabs, and extensive review of their medical charts was performed. Briefly, we assessed information on demographics, sexual behavior, history of previous incarceration, patterns of use of alcohol and illicit drugs. We also recorded the following data for the year previous to inclusion in our study: admissions to acute-care hospitals, invasive procedures (including surgeries), use of antimicrobials, respiratory infection, and skin or