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[Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus among food handlers from a metropolitan university in Chile]
A Soto1, M E Saldías, P Oviedo
1Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile.
Background:
An important agent of food intoxication is Staphylococcus aureus, that is able to produce enterotoxins.
Aim:
To detect Staphylococcus aureus contamination in cafeteria food handlers of a Chilean University.
Subjects And Methods:
Nose, throat, hands and nail samples from 87 food handlers were obtained for microbiological examination.
Results:
Fifty seven subjects (65.5%) were carriers of Staphylococcus aureus. Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus was found in 36 subjects (41%). The most frequently found enterotoxin was type B (18 samples) followed by type D (12 samples). Men bad a higher frequency of contamination than women (83 and 57% of positive samples respectively).
Conclusions:
The frequency of Staphylococcus aureus contamination among food handlers is high and should prompt personal and environmental hygienic measures.