Prevalence and risk factors for Staphylococcus aureus in health care workers at a University Hospital of Recife-PE

Staphylococcus aureus is the main human pathogen that colonizes individuals in general population. The objective of the study was evaluate the epidemiological and sensitivity profile of S. aureus lineage, isolated in health care workers (HCW) of a University Hospital in Pernambuco state, Brazil. Biological samples of hands and nasal cavities were sown in agar sheep blood. Colonies under suspicion of being S. aureus were identified using Gram staining, catalase test and coagulase, mannitol-salty agar fermentation and DNAse agar. The resistance to mupirocin was analyzed through the Kirby Bauer technique. In relation to methicillin and vancomycin the determination was by the minimum inhibitory concentration method (E-test). From the 202 HCW evaluated, 52 were colonized by S. aureus (25,7%). The factors associated to the colonization by S. aureus were: age-group, professional category, use of individual protection equipments (frequency and numbers). All S. aureus isolate lineages were sensitive to mupirocin and vancomycin, and three of them were identified as methicillin-resistant. The prevalence of MSSA and MRSA among HCW was considered low and was below the results described in the literature. The isolate S. aureus lineages have shown low resistance profile.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Silva,Eduardo Caetano Brandão Ferreira da, Antas,Maria das Graças C., B. Neto,Armando Monteiro, Rabelo,Marcelle Aquino, Melo,Fábio Lopes de, Maciel,Maria Amélia Vieira
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases 2008
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-86702008000600012
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!