MPH Student's MRSA Research Highlighted in El Paso Physician Magazine
Master of Public Health student Samantha Meza presented her research entitled “Genetic Characterization of Efflux Systems in Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Clinical Isolates Obtained at the U.S./Mexico Border Region of El Paso, Texas-Cd. Juárez, México,” at the American Society of Microbiology Microbe Scientific Conference held in New Orleans, LA on June 1st – 5th, 2017. Dr. Delfina Dominguez, a full professor in the Clinical Laboratory Science Program who holds a joint appointment in the Department of Public Health Sciences, is the research mentor and co-author in this research project.
In the study, the team investigated the susceptibility profile, prevalence of biocide determinants and efflux activity among a collection of MRSA and Methicillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) clinical isolates obtained from two hospitals from El Paso, Texas and two hospitals from Cd. Juarez, Mexico. A significantly higher prevalence of MRSA was documented in El Paso than in Cd. Juarez, Mexico. The team’s results were recently published in El Paso Physician magazine. Funding for the study was provided by the Paso del Norte Health Foundation.