Particulate matter (PM), a major component of air pollution, is an important carrier medium of various chemical and microbial compounds. Air pollution due to PM could increase the level of bacteria and associated adverse health effects. Staphylococci as important opportunistic pathogens that cause hospital- and community-acquired infections may transmit through air. This study aimed to obtain knowledge about the concentration of airborne bacteria as well as staphylococci associated with particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers (PM_2.5) in ambient air. The impact of meteorological factors including ultraviolet (UV) index, wind speed, temperature, and moisture on microbial concentrations was also investigated. Quartz filters were used to collect PM_2.5 and associated bacteria in ambient air of a semiarid area. Airborne bacteria were quantified by culture method and Staphylococcus species identified by molecular methods. The mean (SD) concentration of PM_2.5 and airborne bacteria was 64.83 (24.87) µg/m³ and 38 (36) colony forming unit (CFU)/m³, respectively. The results showed no significant correlation between the levels of PM_2.5 and concentrations of bacteria (p < 0.05). Staphylococcus species were detected in 8 of 37 (22%) samples in a concentration from 3 to 213 CFU/m³. S. epidermidis was detected with the highest frequency followed by S. gallinarum and S. hominis, but S. aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were not detected. No significant correlation between the concentrations of bacteria with meteorological parameters was observed (p < 0.05). Our finding showed that, although the study area is sometimes subject to air pollution from PM_2.5, the concentration of PM_2.5- associated bacteria is relatively low. According to the results, PM_2.5 may not be a source of community-associated staphylococcal infections.

颗粒物 (PM) 是空气污染的主要成分，是各种化学和微生物化合物的重要载体介质。PM 造成的空气污染可能会增加细菌水平和相关的不利健康影响。葡萄球菌作为引起医院和社区获得性感染的重要机会病原体可能通过空气传播。本研究旨在了解环境空气中空气中细菌以及与直径小于 2.5 微米 (PM _2.5 ) 的颗粒物相关的葡萄球菌的浓度。还研究了气象因素，包括紫外线 (UV) 指数、风速、温度和湿度对微生物浓度的影响。石英过滤器用于收集 PM _2.5以及半干旱地区环境空气中的相关细菌。空气传播细菌通过培养方法定量，葡萄球菌属通过分子方法鉴定。PM _2.5和空气传播细菌的平均 (SD) 浓度分别为 64.83 (24.87) µg/m ³和 38 (36) 个菌落形成单位 (CFU)/m ³。结果显示 PM _2.5水平与细菌浓度之间没有显着相关性（p < 0.05）。在 37 个 (22%) 样品中的 8 个样品中检测到葡萄球菌，浓度为 3 至 213 CFU/m ³。S. epidermidis 的检测频率最高，其次是S. gallinarum和S. hominis，但未检测到金黄色葡萄球菌和耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌(MRSA)。没有观察到细菌浓度与气象参数之间的显着相关性（p < 0.05）。我们的发现表明，虽然研究区域有时会受到 PM _{2.5 的}空气污染，但 PM _2.5相关细菌的浓度相对较低。根据结果​​，PM _2.5可能不是社区相关葡萄球菌感染的来源。