The prevalence of drug-resistant and virulent Staphylococcus spp. in a municipal wastewater treatment plant and their spread in the environment

Drug-resistant and pathogenic Staphylococcus spp. strains can reach surface waters and air with wastewater evacuated to the environment. These strains increase the environmental pool of genetic determinants conferring antibiotic resistance and virulence, and constitute a health risk for the employees of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) who come into daily contact with bioaerosols. The aim of this study was to identify the genetic determinants...