Avaliação da colonização nasal por Staphylococcus aureus em universitários da área de saúde: análise da relação com índices antropométricos

Introduction: Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen present in the normal microbiota of the skin and mucous membranes of healthy people. Some studies reported thatobesity may be a factor that favors this bacterium’s colonization of the nasal site. Objective: The present study evaluated the frequency of nasal colonization by S. aureus in health students in São Luís (MA), analyzing the possible relationship with anthropometric factors (body mass index – BMI; waist-hip ratio – WHR). Methodology: Eighty-three students (51 female and 32 male) enrolled in courses in the health area were recruited to obtain demographic, behavioral, and anthropometric data (BMI, WHR). The samples obtained from the nasal cavities were inoculated in Mannitol Salt Agar medium with subsequent identification of the isolates. Finally, biofilm formation was analyzed. Results: In the population studied, the prevalence rates of obesity and overweight/ obesity were 26.51% and 55.42%, respectively. In addition, altered WHR was found in 37.35% of the students. Most of the evaluated samples (91.57%) were positive for Staphylococcus sp. (p<0.0001), with the prevalence of S. aureus (61.45%) statistically higher than that of negative catalase Staphylococcus (30.12%; p=0.0028). S. aureus isolates were predominantly classified as poor biofilm formers. No significant associations were observed between nasal colonization by S. aureus and obesity in the studied population. Conclusion: The data obtained in this work demonstrate a high frequency of healthy students with S. aureus in their nostrils. In addition, most students were classified as overweight/obesity. However, no significant relationships were found between the prevalence of S. aureus and the anthropometric indices evaluated. The high rates of nasal colonization by S. aureus in health students demonstrate the importance of control measures to prevent the dissemination of this microorganism.