Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is considered one of the most frequently isolated bacteria in the community and in the hospital environment, being associated with several infections. Healthcare professionals represent a group vulnerable to Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA colonization, therefore being potential disseminators of these microorganisms during their care activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of S. aureus and MRSA nasal colonization among nursing students over the four years of university attendance, including pre-clinical exposure and at different moments during clinical rotations. Samples were collected from students from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year. The study identified 55.9% MSSA positive samples and 31.4% MRSA positive samples from the total studied population. Simultaneous carriage of MRSA and MSSA was observed in students from all years of the nursing degree, but a highest MSSA colonization (61.5%) was linked to a lower MRSA colonization (30.8%). MRSA colonization seems to be dependent on the type of clinical internship, since the group attending internship in emergency rooms and surgery wards presented a significant increase in the amount of MRSA samples. Nursing students should be educated on the risks involved in carrying S. aureus and MRSA and informed about infection control measures.
Highlights
Staphylococcus aureus is considered one of the most frequently isolated Gram-positive bacteria in the community and in the hospital environment and is associated to several infections ranging from mild skin infections to life-threatening invasive infections, such as septicemia
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a strain of S. aureus identified for the first time in the United Kingdom in 1961, which is resistant to β-lactam antibiotics [4,5]
methicillinsusceptible S. aureus (MSSA) was found in 50% of second year students, while MRSA was detected in 21.4%
Summary
Staphylococcus aureus is considered one of the most frequently isolated Gram-positive bacteria in the community and in the hospital environment and is associated to several infections ranging from mild skin infections to life-threatening invasive infections, such as septicemia. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a strain of S. aureus identified for the first time in the United Kingdom in 1961, which is resistant to β-lactam antibiotics [4,5] These bacteria were considered a concern for hospitalized patients until in the last two decades strains of MRSA have emerged in the community. According to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the percentage of MRSA in the European Union has declined significantly between 2012 and 2019 Despite this reduction, these bacteria are still a public health priority in Europe as seven of the 30 countries evaluated have MRSA rates above 25% [6]. Healthcare workers (HCWs), especially nursing professionals, are considered a population susceptible to Integr J Med Sci.2021;8:1-6
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