The Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus And The Prevalence of Virulence Genes In College Students Sachiya Ridore Mentor: Dr. Gray, Department of Biology, York College Methods Sampling n=32 Mannitol Salt Agar Plating Coagulase Test Β-lactamase Test Samples Gender Gym Healthcare S. aureus Coagulase β-lactamase 1FemaleYes Negative 2MaleYesNoPositive Negative 3FemaleNoYesNegative 4MaleYesNoNegative 5MaleNo Positive 6FemaleYes Positive 7FemaleYes Negative 8FemaleYes Negative 9FemaleYesNoNegative 10MaleYes Negative 11FemaleYesNoPositive 12FemaleNoYesPositive 13FemaleYes Negative 14MaleNoYesNegative 15MaleYesNoPositive 16MaleYesNoPositive 17MaleYesNoNegative 18MaleYesNoNegative 19MaleNo Negative 20FemaleNo Positive Negative 21MaleNo Negative 22MaleYes Positive 23FemaleYesNoPositiveNegative 24MaleNoYesNegative 25MaleNo Positive 26FemaleNoYesPositive 27FemaleYesNoNegative 28FemaleYes Negative 29FemaleYesNoNegative 30FemaleYesNoNegative 31FemaleNo PositiveNegative 32FemaleYes Negative Introduction Staphylococcus aureus is a gram positive coccal bacterium that lives in the nasal mucosa. This bacterium can cause skin abscess, food poisoning, pneumonitis, sepsis, and toxic shock syndrome (Indrawattana et al. 2013). About 60 percent of the population are intermittent carriers of S. aureus, 20 percent are carriers, and the remaining 20 percent are not carriers (Foster 2004). Children are more common than adults to be carriers but between the ages of ten and twenty, the pattern of carriage changes (Kluytmans, van Belkum, and Verbrugh 1997). Several virulence factors are produced, such as colonization factors, toxic proteins and enzymes. Some of these toxic proteins and enzymes are coagulase, catalase to enable the host immunity evasion (Indrawattana et al. 2013). Kuehnert et al. (2006) observed a high risk of S. aureus in males compared to females. It was observed by Markley (2012), that it wasn’t enforced for individuals to clean equipment once they were done with them. At the end of the day, however, the facility was cleaned by service personnels. Naimi et al. (2003) argued that MRSA infections in the community are not due to occasional health care exposures or to strains that emerged in health care settings. Introduction Staphylococcus aureus is a gram positive coccal bacterium that lives in the nasal mucosa. This bacterium can cause skin abscess, food poisoning, pneumonitis, sepsis, and toxic shock syndrome (Indrawattana et al. 2013). About 60 percent of the population are intermittent carriers of S. aureus, 20 percent are carriers, and the remaining 20 percent are not carriers (Foster 2004). Children are more common than adults to be carriers but between the ages of ten and twenty, the pattern of carriage changes (Kluytmans, van Belkum, and Verbrugh 1997). Several virulence factors are produced, such as colonization factors, toxic proteins and enzymes. Some of these toxic proteins and enzymes are coagulase, catalase to enable the host immunity evasion (Indrawattana et al. 2013). Kuehnert et al. (2006) observed a high risk of S. aureus in males compared to females. It was observed by Markley (2012), that it wasn’t enforced for individuals to clean equipment once they were done with them. At the end of the day, however, the facility was cleaned by service personnels. Naimi et al. (2003) argued that MRSA infections in the community are not due to occasional health care exposures or to strains that emerged in health care settings. Statistical Testing + Hypotheses S. aureus will be common in males compared to in females. Those who attend the gym will be colonized with S. aureus rather than those who do not attend the gym Those working in healthcare will have a higher prevalence of this bacterium compared to those who do not work in healthcare. Hypotheses S. aureus will be common in males compared to in females. Those who attend the gym will be colonized with S. aureus rather than those who do not attend the gym Those working in healthcare will have a higher prevalence of this bacterium compared to those who do not work in healthcare. Results Out of thirty two mannitol salt agar plates, only thirteen plates showed a positive presence, a yellow streak, for S. aureus. Out of these positive thirteen samples, eleven were positive for the coagulase test (clumping). From these eleven positive samples, a β- lactamase test was done and nine samples were observed as positive. Results Out of thirty two mannitol salt agar plates, only thirteen plates showed a positive presence, a yellow streak, for S. aureus. Out of these positive thirteen samples, eleven were positive for the coagulase test (clumping). From these eleven positive samples, a β- lactamase test was done and nine samples were observed as positive. Conclusions Females are indicated as the ones being high risk for being carriers of S. aureus compared to males. Those who attended the gym indeed had a higher prevalence of S. aureus compared to those who do not attend the gym. Those who did not work in healthcare were prevalent carriers of S. aureus compared to those who did work in health care. Conclusions Females are indicated as the ones being high risk for being carriers of S. aureus compared to males. Those who attended the gym indeed had a higher prevalence of S. aureus compared to those who do not attend the gym. Those who did not work in healthcare were prevalent carriers of S. aureus compared to those who did work in health care. Future Studies See what influences males to have a higher prevalence of S. aureus. See if any students that attend our school’s gym have S. aureus present in their nasal mucosa. Future Studies See what influences males to have a higher prevalence of S. aureus. See if any students that attend our school’s gym have S. aureus present in their nasal mucosa. Literature Cited Foster, T.J The Staphylococcus aureus “Superbug”. Journal of Clinical Investigation 114: Indrawattana, N. et al Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Isolates: Antibiotic Susceptibility, Molecular Characteristics, and Ability to Form Biofilm. BioMed Research International. Kluytmans, J., van Belkum, A., and Verbrugh, H Nasal Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus: Epidemiology, Underlying Mechanisms, and Associated Risks. Clinical Microbiology Reviews Kuehnert, M. J. et al Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Colonization in the United States, The Journal of Infectious Diseases 193: Literature Cited Foster, T.J The Staphylococcus aureus “Superbug”. Journal of Clinical Investigation 114: Indrawattana, N. et al Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Isolates: Antibiotic Susceptibility, Molecular Characteristics, and Ability to Form Biofilm. BioMed Research International. Kluytmans, J., van Belkum, A., and Verbrugh, H Nasal Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus: Epidemiology, Underlying Mechanisms, and Associated Risks. Clinical Microbiology Reviews Kuehnert, M. J. et al Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Colonization in the United States, The Journal of Infectious Diseases 193: Acknowledgments I would like to thank Dr. Mathur for starting me off on my project and working with until the semester she retired. I also would like to thank Dr. Gray for picking up where she left off. I’m grateful for all the help you both provided. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Dr. Mathur for starting me off on my project and working with until the semester she retired. I also would like to thank Dr. Gray for picking up where she left off. I’m grateful for all the help you both provided. Table 1. Staphylococcus aureus nasal swab samples, n=32, from two lab sections of immunology from York College of Pennsylvania for Spring 2014.