title: Staphylococcus aureus recovery from environmental and human locations in 2 collegiate athletic teams.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Staphylococcus aureus is spread via direct contact with persons and indirect contact via environmental surfaces such as weight benches. Athletes participating in direct-contact sports have an increased risk of acquiring S aureus infections.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine (1) potential environmental reservoirs of S aureus in football and wrestling locker rooms and weight rooms, (2) environmental bacterial status after employing more stringent cleaning methods, (3) differences in colonization rates between athletes and nonathletes, (4) exposed body locations where Staphylococcus was recovered more frequently, and (5) personal hygiene practices of athletes and nonathletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Locker room and strengthening and conditioning facilities at a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II university.
  
  
  METHODS
  Collegiate football players and wrestlers, with nonathlete campus residents serving as the control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infection control methods, education of the custodial staff, and education of the athletes regarding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for infection prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cultures were taken from the participants' noses, fingertips, knuckles, forearms, and shoes and from the environment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before the intervention, from the 108 environmental samples taken from the football locker room and weight room, 26 (24%) contained methicillin-susceptible S aureus (MSSA) and 33 (31%) contained methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA). From the 39 environmental samples taken from the wrestling locker room and pit areas, 1 (3%) contained MSSA and 4 (10%) contained MRSA. The MRSA rates were different between the 2 locations according to a chi(2) test (P = .01). Seven MRSA isolates were recovered from football players and 1 from a wrestler; no MRSA isolates were recovered from the control group. The fingertip location of S aureus recovery from football players was significant when compared with both other locations in football players and fingertips in wrestlers and the control group (P < .05). Football players and wrestlers shared more personal items than the control group (P < .05). After the intervention, the football locker room and weight room samples were negative for S aureus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intact strengthening and conditioning equipment, proper hygiene, and proper disinfection methods lowered both environmental and human S aureus recovery at 1 university.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Earth Science, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO 64093, USA. oller@ucmo.edu
authors.forename: Anna R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Oller
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Province
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Curless
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005538:Football; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013177:Sports; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D014495:Universities; D014891:Weight Lifting; D014952:Wrestling
references.citation: J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 Sep;59(3):494-502
references.pmid: 18550208
references.citation: J Clin Microbiol. 2006 Jul;44(7):2481-4
references.pmid: 16825368
references.citation: Appl Microbiol. 1969 Feb;17(2):268-74
references.pmid: 5775911
references.citation: South Med J. 2005 Jun;98(6):596-602
references.pmid: 16004165
references.citation: J Clin Microbiol. 2001 Sep;39(9):3422
references.pmid: 11558472
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2005 Feb 3;352(5):468-75
references.pmid: 15689585
references.citation: Intern Med J. 2005 Dec;35 Suppl 2:S120-35
references.pmid: 16271056
references.citation: Am J Infect Control. 1997 Feb;25(1):16-23
references.pmid: 9057939
references.citation: J Athl Train. 2006 Jul-Sep;41(3):337-40
references.pmid: 17043704
references.citation: J Athl Train. 2006 Apr-Jun;41(2):141-5
references.pmid: 16791297
references.citation: Emerg Infect Dis. 2005 Apr;11(4):526-32
references.pmid: 15829189
references.citation: Nurse Pract. 2006 Mar;31(3):16-8, 21-3; quiz 23-5
references.pmid: 16518193
references.citation: Clin Infect Dis. 2005 Mar 15;40(6):906-7
references.pmid: 15736032
references.citation: Lancet. 2006 Sep 2;368(9538):874-85
references.pmid: 16950365
references.citation: J Appl Bacteriol. 1986 Jun;60(6):535-44
references.pmid: 3528111