Asymptomatic carriage and molecular characterization of Staphylococcus aureus in pre-clinical and clinical medical students.

ABSTRACT: Medical students are exposed to the hospital environment and patients during their studies, increasing the risk of exposure to virulent and antibiotic-resistant isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus among medical students who have varying levels of exposure to the hospital environment to provide valuable insights into the risk of colonization and transmission. Nasal swabs and fingerprints were obtained and cultured on a selective medium for staphylococci. The obtained isolates were confirmed as methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) or methicillin-resistant (MRSA) using PCR. Antibiotic resistance, the presence of virulence genes including enterotoxin encoding genes, and spa typing were performed. Among pre-clinical s

SUBMITTER: Brodikova K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11861125 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature