School environmental contamination of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus as an independent risk factor for nasal colonization in schoolchildren: An observational, cross-sectional study

Objective We aim to assess the similarities of proportional, phenotypic, and molecular characteristics between the school environment and schoolchildren on methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) isolates. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between March 2016 and August 2016 in eight elementary schools in Guangzhou, China. Nasal swabs from students and environmental swabs from school environments were collected. Univariate and...