Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus survival on artificial turf substrates.
OBJECTIVE
Artificial turf has been suggested as a risk factor for community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). This is an experimental study looking at survival of CA-MRSA on artificial turf.


METHODS
MRSA strain USA-300-0114 was grown as either planktonic cells or biofilms in liquid cultures of beef heart infusion broth overnight at 37 °C. Beakers containing ProGrass (Pittsburgh, PA) turf were inoculated at the dirt interface with either ∼5 × 10 planktonic bacteria or with biofilms. The inoculum included varying nutrient conditions consisting of spent medium, saline, or 5% mucin. The beakers were incubated at 37 °C in ambient air. The main outcome measure was the number of surviving colony-forming units determined by plating on mannitol salt agar.


RESULTS
Survival was biphasic with a colony-forming unit drop from ∼5 × 10 to ∼5 × 10 after the first week followed by survival of between 10 and 10 bacteria until termination of the experiment (20-50 d). Survival was dependent on nutrients, and washed cells survived less than 1 d. Mucin could serve as a nutrient source and slightly increased surviving numbers to 10-10 bacteria. Biofilm formation did not influence survival.


CONCLUSIONS
CA-MRSA survivability on artificial turf surfaces is dependent on the availability of nutrients. These results suggest that CA-MRSA could survive on artificial turf in significant numbers for 1 wk, and lower numbers for at least 1 month, if supplied with appropriate nutrients. Outdoor environmental conditions may affect these findings.
Waninger
Kevin N
KN
Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA. knwaninger@aol.com
Rooney
Thomas P
TP
Miller
James E
JE
Berberian
Jeremy
J
Fujimoto
Alyssa
A
Buttaro
Bettina A
BA
D018441:Biofilms; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D003470:Culture Media; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D006801:Humans; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development*; D009077:Mucins; D013177:Sports; D013499:Surface Properties
D003470:Culture Media; D009077:Mucins