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Dissertation
Staphylococcus aureus in Iowa child care facilities
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Spring 2010
DOI: 10.17077/etd.3ryhs00c
Abstract
<p>Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a ubiquitous bacterium that has the potential to cause severe disease in children and adults. Asymptomatic carriage of S. aureus is an important risk factor for developing infection, as well as a key contributor to transmission. Despite the fact that child care workers are at risk of infections, little research has focused on asymptomatic carriage of S. aureus in this occupational group. We collected samples from 110 employees, 81 children, and 214 surfaces at twelve child care facilities, as well as 111 age- and gender-matched adults not employed at child care centers. After adjusting for age, a household contact with a recent influenza-like illness, and a household contact with exposure to cattle, the odds ratio for S. aureus carriage in child care employees was 0.68 (95% CI 0.31 - 1.50, p-value 0.34). The odds of MRSA carriage was 3.09 times higher in child care employees than unexposed adults after adjusting for a history of cigarette smoking (95% CI 1.04 - 9.17, p-value 0.042). Colonization rates of all S. aureus and MRSA in children were 19.8% and 1.23%, respectively. S. aureus and MRSA were isolated from 9.80% and 0.90% of surfaces. Washing children's hands upon arrival had a protective effect among employees (adjusted OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.095 - 0.32, p < 0.0001). Molecular characterization suggested transmission of S. aureus among children, employees, and environmental surfaces. While the overall prevalence of MRSA is low at child care facilities, employees may be at increased risk of carrying this organism.</p>
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Staphylococcus aureus in Iowa child care facilities
- Creators
- Erin Denise Moritz - University of Iowa
- Contributors
- Tara Smith (Advisor)R. W. Field (Committee Member)Jim Torner (Committee Member)Jody Murph (Committee Member)Jeff Dawson (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Epidemiology
- Date degree season
- Spring 2010
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- DOI
- 10.17077/etd.3ryhs00c
- Number of pages
- x, 160 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2010 Erin Moritz
- Language
- English
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 135-160).
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology
- Record Identifier
- 9983776994802771
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