OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of nasal entrainment, phenotypic and genotypic profile of Staphylococcus aureus, asisolated from nursing students. METHODS: A cross-sectional population of 101 students enrolled in the first three grades of the undergraduate nursing course in 2008. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from biological material obtained from the swab through the nasal vestibules. Susceptibility to oxacillin and vancomycin was determined by minimum inhibitory concentration test. The mecA gene was identified by testing the polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: There was a 90.1% positive finding of Staphylococcus aureus. The frequency of oxacillin resistance was 9.8%; all samples were sensitive to vancomycin. The eight strains resistant to oxacillin carried the mecA gene. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus was high. Oxacillin resistance was significant, but all strains were sensitive to vancomycin. Isolates resistant to oxacillin carried the mecA gene.
Staphylococcus aureus; Drug resistance; Colonization
