Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and hygiene practices among food handlers in Skopje, North Macedonia

Bukovetz, Jansun; Todorovski, Jovan; Zendeli, Gyltene; Mijakoski, Dragan; Kočubovski, Mihail; Kotevska, Vesna; Spiroski, Igor

doi:10.2478/aiht-2026-77-4035

Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju, Vol. 77 No. 2, 2026.

Izvorni znanstveni članak

https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2026-77-4035

Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and hygiene practices among food handlers in Skopje, North Macedonia

Jansun Bukovetz ; Institute of Public Health of the Republic of North Macedonia, Skopje, North Macedonia
Jovan Todorovski ; Centre of Public Health Bitola, Bitola, North Macedonia
Gyltene Zendeli ; Institute of Public Health of the Republic of North Macedonia, Skopje, North Macedonia
Dragan Mijakoski ; Institute of Occupational Health of the Republic of North Macedonia, Skopje, North Macedonia 4 Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Medicine, Skopje, North Macedonia
Mihail Kočubovski ; Institute of Occupational Health of the Republic of North Macedonia, Skopje, North Macedonia
Vesna Kotevska ; Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Parasitology, Skopje, North Macedonia
Igor Spiroski ; Institute of Public Health of the Republic of North Macedonia, Skopje, North Macedonia, 3 Institute of Occupational Health of the Republic of North Macedonia, Skopje, North Macedonia

Puni tekst: engleski pdf 583 Kb

str. 96-100

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citiraj

APA 6th Edition

Bukovetz, J., Todorovski, J., Zendeli, G., Mijakoski, D., Kočubovski, M., Kotevska, V. i Spiroski, I. (2026). Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and hygiene practices among food handlers in Skopje, North Macedonia. Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju, 77 (2), 96-100. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2026-77-4035

MLA 8th Edition

Bukovetz, Jansun, et al. "Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and hygiene practices among food handlers in Skopje, North Macedonia." Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju, vol. 77, br. 2, 2026, str. 96-100. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2026-77-4035. Citirano 01.07.2026.

Chicago 17th Edition

Bukovetz, Jansun, Jovan Todorovski, Gyltene Zendeli, Dragan Mijakoski, Mihail Kočubovski, Vesna Kotevska i Igor Spiroski. "Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and hygiene practices among food handlers in Skopje, North Macedonia." Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju 77, br. 2 (2026): 96-100. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2026-77-4035

Harvard

Bukovetz, J., et al. (2026). 'Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and hygiene practices among food handlers in Skopje, North Macedonia', Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju, 77(2), str. 96-100. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2026-77-4035

Vancouver

Bukovetz J, Todorovski J, Zendeli G, Mijakoski D, Kočubovski M, Kotevska V i sur. Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and hygiene practices among food handlers in Skopje, North Macedonia. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. [Internet]. 2026 [pristupljeno 01.07.2026.];77(2):96-100. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2026-77-4035

IEEE

J. Bukovetz, et al., "Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and hygiene practices among food handlers in Skopje, North Macedonia", Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju, vol.77, br. 2, str. 96-100, 2026. [Online]. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2026-77-4035

Sažetak

Nasal carriage plays a key role in Staphylococcus aureus transmission, particularly among individuals working in the food sector. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between personal hygiene and nasal carriage of S. aureus among workers in food production, distribution, and trade. It was conducted in Skopje from November 2021 to March 2022 and included 289 workers undergoing mandatory health and hygiene examinations. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and microbiological testing of nasal swabs. The overall prevalence of S. aureus nasal carriage was 12.5 % (95 % CI: 8.7–16.3 %). Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) prevailed in 11.8 % (95 % CI: 8.1–15.5 %) and the methicillin-resistant variety (MRSA) in only 0.7 % (95 % CI: 0–1.7 %). We found no significant associations between nasal carriage and demographic or hygiene variables (assessed using the chi-squared test) but did observe higher carriage rates among men (15.7 %), cooks (28.6 %), and individuals with untidy nails (17 %). However, our findings should be interpreted with caution, and future studies should address the limitations of the present study. Targeted training, routine screening, and consistent adherence to good hygiene practices remain important for minimising colonisation and reducing the risk of S. aureus transmission.