Gym surfaces: reservoirs for Staphylococcus aureus. Apparently not MRSA though.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22622513

Am J Infect Control. 2012 May 21. [Epub ahead of print]

Are gym surfaces reservoirs for Staphylococcus aureus? A point prevalence survey.

Markley JD, Edmond MB, Major Y, Bearman G, Stevens MP.

Source

Department of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, VA.

Abstract

We sought to identify staphylococcal contamination of gymnasium surfaces. Various environmental surfaces were cultured at a university fitness center. Ten out of 99 samples yielded Staphylococcus aureus, all of which were methicillin-susceptible. Gym surfaces may be colonized with staphylococci and could play a role in community transmission of staphylococcal species.