Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Carriage among Beefpacking Workers in a Midwestern United States Slaughterhouse

摘要: Occupational contact with livestock is an established risk factor for exposure to livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), particularly among industrial swine workers. While S. known infect cattle, carriage workers in the beef production chain has received limited attention. Beefpacking workers, who slaughter, butcher and process have intensified potentially infectious animal materials may be at of exposure. We conducted a cross-sectional study beefpacking (n = 137) slaughterhouse Midwestern United States evaluate prevalence characteristics nasal colonization, specifically absence scn gene identify putative association livestock, antibiotic susceptibility, presence Panton-Valentin leukocidin (PVL) genes lukS-PV lukF-PV, spa type. Overall was 27.0%. No carried MRSA. Methicillin-sensitive isolates (MSSA) recovered from five (3.6%) lacked were considered (pLA-SA). Among pLA-SA isolates, types t338, t748, t1476 t2379 identified. To our knowledge, these not previously been identified as associated livestock. Prevalence human-adapted MRSA 3.6%. t002, t008 t024, four PVL-positive. date, this first indicate that exposed aureus, notably MSSA, requires further epidemiologic investigation.