Prevalence of Staphylococcus Aureus Colonizing the Health Care Personnel of a Hospital in the City of Cali

Objecitve: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of isolates of Staphylococcus aureus in workers at a hospital in Cali. Materials and methods: A descriptive study was conducted with samples of nasal swabs, skin smears to 30 health care workers. Phenotypic characterization of isolates was based on susceptibility antibiogram testing and pcr amplification of the identified mecA and agr genes. The origin of isolates was established by analysis of agr gene, identifying the agr groups. Results: Eleven (26.7 %) workers were colonized with S. aureus. The frequency of S. aureus was higher in health care personnel who were in the operating room (20 %; OR = 2.077; P> 0.05). Four antibiotypes were identified, this feature is compatible with community clones that have proven to be highly diverse with a large capacity to spread in the community. 36.4 % of the isolates were resistant to cefotaxime and/or oxacillin, suggestive mrsa phenotype in these isolated the mecA gene was identified. Agr i was found primarily among isolates metillicin-sensitive S. aureus (mssa), compatible with community origin, and mrsa isolates belong to agr ii, with hospital waste. Conclusion: The prevalence of S. aureus resistant to antibiotics that colonize health care personnel was demonstrated, mainly in those working in the operating room. Regu­lar monitoring of personnel should be regularly conducted to prevent the spread of pathogens