title: [Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus among food handlers from a metropolitan university in Chile].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An important agent of food intoxication is Staphylococcus aureus, that is able to produce enterotoxins.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To detect Staphylococcus aureus contamination in cafeteria food handlers of a Chilean University.
  
  
  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.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Preventiva Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Saldías
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oviedo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002677:Chile; D004768:Enterotoxins; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014495:Universities; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D004768:Enterotoxins