Publicação
Characterization of microbiological contamination of a clinical pathology service at a central hospital in Lisbon
| Resumo: | ABSTRACT - Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been a target of great interest for the scientific community in recent years because of strong evidence that poor air quality has proven harmful effects on its occupants, affecting health, comfort, and productivity. This situation becomes alarming in places where the health of its occupants is impaired, such as in hospitals. IAQ proves to be extremely important in the hospital environment due to the aerial spread of bacteria, potentiating nosocomial infections. There is a lack of studies on this topic in Portugal. Fungi dispersed through the atmosphere are susceptible to causing diseases, when they come into contact with skin and mucous membranes, by direct contact or inhalation. The contamination of fungi in health facilities has shown several infections, caused by several species of Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium. The most prevalent bacteria in indoor environments are gram-positive bacteria (Micrococcus and Staphylococcus), although gram-negative bacteria might also be detected. This work aims to characterize the biological contamination in ventilation grids of a Clinical Pathology Service of a Central Hospital in Lisbon. Samples were made with swabs in ventilation grids, in all sections within the Clinical Pathology service and, plates for Electrostatic Dust Cloths (EDC) were placed for 15 days. Total bacteria presented the highest prevalence in both matrixes, whereas gram bacteria presented the lowest. Swabs presented a higher prevalence (27.6%) for fungal burden while EDC showed its high prevalence in DG18 (91.9%). Chrysonilia sitophila presented the highest prevalence in swabs for both media (MEA 52.50%, DG18 57.39%), followed by Penicillium spp. in MEA (18.43%) and Cladosporium spp. in DG18 (23.56%). For EDC, C. sitophila and Mucor spp. were the most prevalent in MEA (both with 44.52%), whereas Cladosporium spp. was the most prevalent in DG18 (45.98%). Concerning Aspergillus genera on swabs, section Flavi was the one with the highest prevalence (58.02%), whereas, for EDC, section Versicolores was the only section observed (100%). Section Fumigati was detected in 10 swabs and in 7 EDC samples and section Versicolores was detected in one EDC sample by molecular tools. These results were confirmed through the PCR technique. The obtained results revealed a potential threat to public and occupational health, allowing the clinical staff to raise awareness of the problem. |
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| Autores principais: | Lourenço, Raquel Maria Valério Lampreia |
| Assunto: | Electrostatic dust cloths Surface swabs Fungi Bacteria Aspergillus Zaragatoas Fungos Bactérias Portugal Lisboa |
| Ano: | 2020 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa |
| Resumo: | ABSTRACT - Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been a target of great interest for the scientific community in recent years because of strong evidence that poor air quality has proven harmful effects on its occupants, affecting health, comfort, and productivity. This situation becomes alarming in places where the health of its occupants is impaired, such as in hospitals. IAQ proves to be extremely important in the hospital environment due to the aerial spread of bacteria, potentiating nosocomial infections. There is a lack of studies on this topic in Portugal. Fungi dispersed through the atmosphere are susceptible to causing diseases, when they come into contact with skin and mucous membranes, by direct contact or inhalation. The contamination of fungi in health facilities has shown several infections, caused by several species of Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium. The most prevalent bacteria in indoor environments are gram-positive bacteria (Micrococcus and Staphylococcus), although gram-negative bacteria might also be detected. This work aims to characterize the biological contamination in ventilation grids of a Clinical Pathology Service of a Central Hospital in Lisbon. Samples were made with swabs in ventilation grids, in all sections within the Clinical Pathology service and, plates for Electrostatic Dust Cloths (EDC) were placed for 15 days. Total bacteria presented the highest prevalence in both matrixes, whereas gram bacteria presented the lowest. Swabs presented a higher prevalence (27.6%) for fungal burden while EDC showed its high prevalence in DG18 (91.9%). Chrysonilia sitophila presented the highest prevalence in swabs for both media (MEA 52.50%, DG18 57.39%), followed by Penicillium spp. in MEA (18.43%) and Cladosporium spp. in DG18 (23.56%). For EDC, C. sitophila and Mucor spp. were the most prevalent in MEA (both with 44.52%), whereas Cladosporium spp. was the most prevalent in DG18 (45.98%). Concerning Aspergillus genera on swabs, section Flavi was the one with the highest prevalence (58.02%), whereas, for EDC, section Versicolores was the only section observed (100%). Section Fumigati was detected in 10 swabs and in 7 EDC samples and section Versicolores was detected in one EDC sample by molecular tools. These results were confirmed through the PCR technique. The obtained results revealed a potential threat to public and occupational health, allowing the clinical staff to raise awareness of the problem. |
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