title: Tracking sources of Staphylococcus aureus hand contamination in food handlers by spa typing.
abstract: We aimed to identify the source of Staphylococcus aureus contaminating hands of food handlers. Nasal samples and direct fingertip imprints were collected on 2 occasions from food handlers and characterized to determine likely sources of hand contamination. Most hand contamination was attributable to nasal isolates of persistently colonized coworkers who had presumably contaminated the environment. Regular handwashing should be supplemented by effective environmental disinfection.
authors.affiliation: Squina International Centre for Infection Control, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Jeffery
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Squina International Centre for Infection Control, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Maureen V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Boost
authors.affiliation: Squina International Centre for Infection Control, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Electronic address: margaret.o.donoghue@polyu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Margaret M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: O'Donoghue
mesh_terms: D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005511:Food Handling; D006225:Hand / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D058889:Molecular Typing; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Environmental contamination; Hand hygiene; Nasal colonization; Persistent carriage