RESUMEN
This study identified Staphylococcus aureus carriers among students of nutrition course, evaluating the capacity of producing staphylococcal enterotoxins (VIDAS Kit) and also the antimicrobial susceptibility (Kirby-Bauer method) of the isolates. Among 173 students sampled, 62 (35.8%) were detected as carriers of S. aureus, being 38 (61.3%) in nostrils; nine (14.5%) on the hands, and 15 (24.2%) in both sites. The production of staphylococcal toxins was detected in 71.4% of the positive-coagulase pools and in 7.1% of the negative-coagulase pools. Even though considerable resistance had been observed with azithromycin (38%), erithromycin (36%), and tetracycline (14%); cephalothin, cefoperazone, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, and oxacillin were effective to inhibit the microorganism growth. The high score of healthy carriers was alarming; however, many of the isolated Staphylococcus showed sensitive to most of the antimicrobial tested. The production of toxins was also relevant, mainly by strains that the current Brazilian legislation consider harmless.