Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. in the nasal cavity of dental surgeons professors

The aim of the study is to investigate the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. nasal colonization among dental surgeon professors. Dental surgeon professors of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) responded to a questionnaire covering sociodemographic, employment and behavioral data, and were subjected to clinical specimen collection by nasal swab. Identification and susceptibility testing of bacteria were performed by automated method (Vitek 2 compactTM). Susceptibility to mupirocin was tested by disk-diffusion method. The detection of mecA and lukS-F genes was performed by PCR. The genetic similarity among the isolates was determined by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis. Four (9.7%) dental surgeon professors were colonized by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. and claim have provided care to patients without wearing surgical masks (1/4) and/or gloves (4/4), and had the habit of keeping surgical masks on the chin (1/4). Two S. aureus and one S. epidermidis isolates were mecA gene positives. MLSB complex (inducible), mupirocin and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim resistance were also detected. The lukS-F gene was not detected in any S. aureus and no genetic similarity was found among the isolates. Dental surgeon professors were found to be colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. and declared noncompliance to infection control practices, posing risk of infection to themselves, patients, students and their families.