OBJECTIVES: To assess colonization by Staphylococcus aureus sensitive and resistant to methicillin found in the saliva of nurses and, to recognize the mupirocin profile of resistance. METHODS: It was collected three saliva samples of 356 (94.2%) professional research participants, totaling 1068 samples processed. All ethical aspects were covered. Microbiological analysis included the phenotypic identification, according to the standards of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. RESULTS: In the first collection were obtained 73 individuals colonized by Staphylococcus aureus, 48 in the second and 37 in the third, totaling 158 samples of Staphylococcus aureus. Of these, 24 (15.2%) were resistant to oxacillin and 30 resistant to mupirocin (18.9%). Mupirocin resistance was observed sharply in the Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin (MRSA); of 24 MRSA, 17 (70.8%) were resistant to this antibiotic. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that mupirocin resistance is a major problem since this antibiotic is an excellent ally in the measures taken to control infection in health services.
Staphylococcus aureus; Drug resistance, multiple; Mupirocin; Nursing team
