High Occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Fitness Equipment from Selected Gymnasiums

Introduction. Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of cutaneous bacterial infection involving community. Methods. In this study, a total of 42 swab samples were collected from the surface of various fitness equipment such as back machines, exercise mats, dip stations, dumbbells, and treadmills. Identification of the bacterial isolates was conducted using biochemical tests and further analysed molecularly using the PCR method targeting nuc gene (270 bp). The nuc gene encodes for the thermonuclease enzyme, a virulent factor of S. aureus. Results. The findings showed 31 out of 42 swab samples (73.81%) were positive with S. aureus. Conclusion. This study showed that gymnasium equipment is a potential reservoir for S. aureus and might play an important role in transmitting the pathogen to humans. Objective. This study was undertaken to assess the presence of S. aureus on the surface of fitness equipment from selected gymnasiums in Kuching and Kota Samarahan, Sarawak (Malaysia).