Repository logo
 
Publication

Community surveillance of MRSA and Staphylococcus aureus in rural Portugal: The BI-STAPH Project—Phase 1: Sertã

2025Research article Open access
Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorCordero, Ainhoa
dc.contributor.authorFerreira, Francisco
dc.contributor.authorCoelho, Patricia
dc.contributor.authorBelo, João
dc.contributor.authorMetello, João
dc.contributor.authorSantos, Carina
dc.contributor.authorMateus, Sónia
dc.contributor.authorMiguel Castelo-Branco
dc.contributor.authorRodrigues, Francisco
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-31T15:03:30Z
dc.date.available2025-10-31T15:03:30Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.updated2025-10-30T22:01:31Z
dc.descriptionThis study has the approval of the Ethics Committee of the University of Beira Interior, code no. CE-UBI-Pj-2023-054, approved on 16 January 2024, ensuring that all procedures adopted comply with the established ethical and scientific guidelines.
dc.description.abstractIntroduction: Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus—including methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA)—represents a growing public health concern, particularly in community and rural settings. In Portugal, limited data are available regarding its prevalence in populations with agricultural or animal-related exposures. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA nasal colonization among adults residing in the municipality of Sertã, Portugal, and to explore potential sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with colonization. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 292 adult participants from multiple parishes of Sertã. Nasal swabs were collected for microbiological identification of S. aureus and MRSA. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, occupational exposure, animal contact, and recent antibiotic use were collected via structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses (chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests) were performed, and odds ratios were estimated. Results: The overall prevalence of S. aureus colonization was 19.9% (58/292), with MRSA detected in 4.8% (14/292) of participants, representing 24.1% of all S. aureus carriers. Colonization by S. aureus was slightly more frequent among females (51.7%) and predominantly observed in individuals aged 35–59 years. MRSA was more frequent in participants aged ≥ 60 years and was equally distributed between sexes. 57% of MRSA cases reported recent antibiotic use and all MRSA cases reported daily contact with animals—primarily domestic species. No statistically significant associations were identified between colonization and the analyzed variables, although trends suggested increased risk among individuals with animal contact and moderate to high-risk occupations. Conclusions: This study revealed a notable prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA colonization in a rural Portuguese population. Although no statistically significant associations were found, with animal contact, occupational exposure, and recent antibiotic use emerged as relevant epidemiological factors. These findings highlight the need for strengthened surveillance and further investigation into zoonotic transmission and occupational risk in rural environments.eng
dc.description.versionN/A
dc.identifier.citationCORDERO, A. [et al.] (2025) - Community surveillance of MRSA and Staphylococcus aureus in rural Portugal: The BI-STAPH Project—Phase 1: Sertã. Bacteria. Vol. 4, 54. DOI: 10.3390/bacteria4040054eng
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/bacteria4040054en_US
dc.identifier.slugcv-prod-4591745
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.11/10345
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectStaphylococcus aureus
dc.subjectMRSA
dc.subjectNasal colonization
dc.subjectRural population
dc.subjectOccupational exposure
dc.subjectAntimicrobial resistance
dc.titleCommunity surveillance of MRSA and Staphylococcus aureus in rural Portugal: The BI-STAPH Project—Phase 1: Sertãen_US
dc.typeresearch articleen_US
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.titleBacteriaen_US
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
person.familyNameCoelho
person.familyNamede Morais de Oliveira Belo
person.familyNameRodrigues
person.givenNamePatricia
person.givenNameJoão Luis
person.givenNameFrancisco
person.identifier2982790
person.identifier.ciencia-id231C-F92A-1BC2
person.identifier.ciencia-idDE1B-DF40-D472
person.identifier.ciencia-id7A18-045E-330C
person.identifier.orcid0000-0003-4671-4239
person.identifier.orcid0000-0001-8405-4249
person.identifier.ridJTV-3288-2023
person.identifier.scopus-author-id57214122402
rcaap.cv.cienciaid7A18-045E-330C | Francisco José Barbas Rodrigues
rcaap.rightsopenAccessen_US
relation.isAuthorOfPublication30f36b8c-0bee-46cd-9ecf-be2a8dc33bd6
relation.isAuthorOfPublication1dd09b74-6d78-4597-9a1d-15e34eca6baf
relation.isAuthorOfPublicationd496c83f-3a6b-424e-ba10-452ce609d597
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery30f36b8c-0bee-46cd-9ecf-be2a8dc33bd6

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Community_Surveillance_of_MRSA_and_Staphylococcus_aureus.pdf
Size:
268.22 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
2.02 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

ESALD - Artigos em revistas com arbitragem científica