Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in Throat and Nasal Cultures of Food Handlers in Konya Surround

In this study, It was determined that Staphylococcus aureus carriage collecting nasal and throat bacterial cultures at 1772 food handlers working in various working groups in food sector between January and December 2008. After nasal and throat cultures which were obtained food handlers were inoculated to appropriate medium, Staphylococcus aureus strains were identified with traditional biochemical methods. Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated from nasal and throat cultures of 277 (15.6%) food handlers among 1772 food handlers. This isolates were analyzed from 238 (13.4%) nasal cultures, 29 (1.6%) throat cultures and 5 (0.28%) both nasal cultures and throat cultures. 277 Staphylococcus aureus strains were isolated from 271 (15.3%) male food handlers and 6 (0.3%) female food handlers. Results showed that the carriage rate of S. aureus is high of workers in the food handlers, which draws attention to the importance of personal hygiene. In terms of prevention of food poisoning Staphylococci source, it is important to workers to be educated about hygiene and to make regular inspection of carrier.