Observational cross-sectional study of nasal staphylococcal species of medical students of diverse geographical origin, prior to healthcare exposure: prevalence of SCCmec, fusC, fusB and the arginine catabolite mobile element (ACME) in the absence of selective antibiotic pressure.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate co-located nasal Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (mainly Staphylococcus epidermidis), recovered from healthy medical students in their preclinical year, prior to exposure to the healthcare environment, for the carriage of genes and genetic elements common to both species and that may contribute to S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) evolution.

Design

Prospective observational cross-sectional study. Carriage of antimicrobial resistance and virulence-associated genes in the absence of significant antibiotic selective pressure was investigated among healthy medical students from geographically diverse origins who were nasally co-colonised with S.

SUBMITTER: Budri PE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5914719 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature