Publicação
MRSA environmental surveillance: the need for standardized protocols
| Resumo: | Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of infections, with airborne transmission playing a crucial role in its environmental spread. While healthcare settings remain high-risk areas, the increasing presence of community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) and livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) in diverse environments raises new public health concerns. This systematic review assessed MRSA contamination in different environmental reservoirs, focusing on transmission pathways and sampling methodologies. A literature search was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, identifying 95 studies that reported MRSA detection through environmental sampling. MRSA was detected in healthcare settings (N=19), aquatic environments (N=13), wastewater treatment plants (N=5), public and occupational settings (N=11), and farms/veterinary hospitals (N=27). The growing presence in public and agricultural environments highlights the need for broader surveillance beyond hospitals. A review of sampling methods showed substantial variability. Active air sampling (27 studies, 28%) included impaction, filtration, and impinger techniques with diverse culture media and filter types. Passive sampling (84 studies, 88%) was more common, using settled dust, electrostatic dust cloths, settle plates, dust wipes, and swabs. The lack of standardized protocols complicates data comparability and limits risk assessment accuracy. The widespread detection of MRSA across environments underscores the importance of airborne transmission. While healthcare settings remain hotspots, increasing contamination in public and agricultural areas demands harmonized surveillance protocols. Standardizing air sampling techniques, culture media, and resistance profiling is essential for effective monitoring. A One Health approach integrating human, animal, and environmental interactions is crucial to mitigating airborne MRSA transmission and antimicrobial resistance risks. Future research should prioritize standardized methodologies to enhance global monitoring and control efforts. |
|---|---|
| Autores principais: | Pena, Pedro |
| Outros Autores: | Cervantes, Renata; Viegas, Carla |
| Assunto: | Environmental health Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA FCT_UIDP/05608/2020 FCT_UIDB/05608/2020 IPL/2022/InChildhealth/BI/12M IPL/IDI&CA2024/WWTPSValor_ESTeSL IPL/IDI&CA2024/MycoSOS_ESTeSL |
| Ano: | 2025 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | póster em conferência |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa |
| Resumo: | Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of infections, with airborne transmission playing a crucial role in its environmental spread. While healthcare settings remain high-risk areas, the increasing presence of community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) and livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) in diverse environments raises new public health concerns. This systematic review assessed MRSA contamination in different environmental reservoirs, focusing on transmission pathways and sampling methodologies. A literature search was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, identifying 95 studies that reported MRSA detection through environmental sampling. MRSA was detected in healthcare settings (N=19), aquatic environments (N=13), wastewater treatment plants (N=5), public and occupational settings (N=11), and farms/veterinary hospitals (N=27). The growing presence in public and agricultural environments highlights the need for broader surveillance beyond hospitals. A review of sampling methods showed substantial variability. Active air sampling (27 studies, 28%) included impaction, filtration, and impinger techniques with diverse culture media and filter types. Passive sampling (84 studies, 88%) was more common, using settled dust, electrostatic dust cloths, settle plates, dust wipes, and swabs. The lack of standardized protocols complicates data comparability and limits risk assessment accuracy. The widespread detection of MRSA across environments underscores the importance of airborne transmission. While healthcare settings remain hotspots, increasing contamination in public and agricultural areas demands harmonized surveillance protocols. Standardizing air sampling techniques, culture media, and resistance profiling is essential for effective monitoring. A One Health approach integrating human, animal, and environmental interactions is crucial to mitigating airborne MRSA transmission and antimicrobial resistance risks. Future research should prioritize standardized methodologies to enhance global monitoring and control efforts. |
|---|