Assessing the risk of Staphylococcus aureus contamination and occupational exposure on high-frequency contact surfaces in funeral venues

Background Funeral industry workers face potential microbial exposure when handling corpses, yet quantitative risk assessments for specific pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus remain limited. Objective This study assessed health risks to funeral staff from S. aureus [including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)] exposure via contaminated surfaces, identifying critical risk nodes and contributing factors. Methods: In 2024, we collected 85 swab samples from high-touch surfaces (cosmetics, tools, faucets, door handles, countertops) across four Anhui funeral parlors. Total bacterial counts, coliforms, and S. aureus were quantified. Using on-site data and occupational parameters, we developed a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model for the “surface-hand-mouth” transmission route, employing Monte Carlo simulation (10,000 iterations) and comparative risk ranking. Results Surface total colony count qualification rate was 91.76%, with S. aureus detected on 16.47% of surfaces; 35.71% of isolates were MRSA. Faucets showed highest S. aureus concentrations. The median potential intake via indirect environmental contact (faucets: 146.7 MPN/day) was 2.15 times higher than direct contact with makeup tools (68.2 MPN/day). Sensitivity analysis identified hand-mouth transfer efficiency and faucet contamination levels as key uncertainty drivers. Conclusion This first-ever combination of environmental monitoring and quantitative exposure modeling in funeral hygiene reveals that indirect environmental exposure may pose greater S. aureus transmission risk than direct tool contact. Findings emphasize enhanced cleaning of high-touch surfaces and rigorous hand hygiene, providing scientific basis for risk-based infection control strategies.