Colonization and transmission of Staphylococcus aureus in schools: a citizen science project

Abstract

Aggregation of children in schools has been established to be a key driver of transmission of infectious diseases. Mathematical models of transmission used to predict the impact of control measures, such as vaccination and testing, commonly depend on self-reported contact data. However, the link between self-reported social contacts and pathogen transmission has not been well described. To address this, we used Staphylococcus aureus as a model organism to track transmission within two secondary schools in England and test for associations between self-reported social contacts, test positivity and the bacterial strain collected from the same students. Students filled out a social contact survey and their S. aureus colonization status was ascertained through self-administered swabs from which isolates were sequenced. Isolates from the local community were also sequenced to assess the representativeness of school isolates. A low frequency of genome-linked transmission precluded a formal analysis of links between genomic and social networks, suggesting that S. aureus transmission within schools is too rare to make it a viable tool for this purpose. Whilst we found no evidence that schools are an important route of transmission, increased colonization rates found within schools imply that school-age children may be an important source of community transmission.

Molecular Epidemiologic and Geo-Spatial Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus Cultured from Skin and Soft Tissue Infections from United States-Born and Immigrant Patients Living in New York City

“…This is suggestive that cultural norms and behaviors among the other considered characteristics may be similar for people living in the same ethnic communities. Communities with similar cultural behaviors have been demonstrated to also have similar strains causing S. aureus infections in other parts of the world [36][37][38][39][40]. Culturally sensitive and relevant interventions are important considerations in reducing health disparities [41], but it would be even more relevant to tailor these interventions in largely homogenous neighborhoods.…”