Methicillin Resistance of Airborne Coagulase-negative Staphylococci in Homes of Persons Having Contact with a Hospital Environment.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the airborne Staphylococcus genus features in homes in which inhabitants have had contact with the hospital environment. A higher prevalence of methicillin-resistant (MR) strains among the species isolated (40% of S epidermidis, 40% of S hominis, and 60% of S cohnii spp cohnii) was found in homes of persons who had contact with a hospital environment compared with the reference homes (only 12% of S hominis). The mecA gene was revealed in all MR S epidermidis strains and in some MR S hominis (50%) and S cohnii spp cohnii (33%) strains. The results indicate that persons having contact with a hospital environment pose a risk of intrafamilial spreading of MR strains via the air. AJIC. 2009;37:177-82.