ENTEROTOXIGENIC STAPHYLOCOCCI FROM FOOD HANDLERS WORKING IN AN INDUSTRIAL KITCHEN IN BELO-HORIZONTE, MG (BRAZIL)

Fifty-five healthy food handlers working in an industrial kitchen in B elo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, were examined for the carriage of enterot oxigenic staphylococci. Thirty-two (58.2%) of the 55 food handlers wer e Staphylococcus aureus carriers, with 17 (30.9%) carriers of enteroto xigenic staphylococci, 8 in their nares, 9 in their throats, and 7 und er their fingernails. Eleven individuals carried enterotoxigenic strai ns in only one of the three sites cultured, five carried them in two o f the three sites, and one carried an enterotoxigenic strain (enteroto xin B) in all three sites. Four strains produced enterotoxin A, 10 str ains produced enterotoxin B, 4 strains produced enterotoxin C, and 6 s trains produced both enterotoxins A and B. The fact that 30.9% of the food handlers in this particular kitchen were colonized with enterotox igenic staphylococci, in which 80,000 meals were produced per day in 1 992, is a very high percentage of carriers.