title: Prevalence of Staphylococcus, including Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, in a Physical Therapy Education Facility.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of Staphylococcus species, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), in a physical therapy (PT) education facility. The PT laboratory classrooms were routinely used by graduate PT students and faculty, undergraduate anatomy students, and licensed practitioners for continuing education purposes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 88 swab samples were collected from plinths and other equipment and plated onto mannitol salt agar (MSA). Suspected S. aureus colonies were confirmed by Staphyloslide latex testing. S. aureus isolates were plated to HardyCHROM agar to identify MRSA. VITEK antibiotic susceptibility testing confirmed MRSA isolates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-seven samples showed growth (47/88, 53%), and 7 tested positive for S. aureus (7/47, 15%). Of those 7, one demonstrated oxacillin resistance and was confirmed as MRSA (1/7, 2%). Remaining samples grew other species of Staphylococcus and gram-negative bacilli.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given high classroom utilization, staphylococci environmental prevalence would be expected. However, the presence of MRSA was unexpected. Results demonstrate the potential for easily transmissible and potentially harmful organisms to be present in multi-use classrooms utilized by health professions students where frequent skin-to-skin contact occurs. Strict, routine cleaning of plinths and other equipment is imperative in reducing exposure risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78612, USA. Tel 512-245-8426, fax 512-245-8736. kgibbs@txstate.edu.
authors.forename: Priya V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Dhagat
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: Rodney E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Rohde
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D008712:Methicillin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010068:Oxacillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008712:Methicillin; D010068:Oxacillin