beta -Lactam and chloramphenicol-resistant enterobacteria in hospital surfaces

• Published in: African journal of biotechnology Vol. 14; no. 38; pp. 2755 - 2758
• Main Authors: de Lima, Jean Linhares, Vasconcelos, Sara Edwirgens Costa Benicio, Cavalcante, Theodora Thays Arruda, Costa, Renata Albuquerque
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 23-09-2015
• Subjects: Enterobacter; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 1684-5315
• DOI: 10.5897/AJB2015.14712

The following study aimed to research the Enterobacteriaceae present on the material surfaces of a hospital environment in a Community Health Unit in Ceara-Brazil. Data was collected in 10 different rooms and facilities by rubbing sterile swabs in an enclosed area of 10 cm super(2) for a minute. Bacterial growth was observed in all surveyed areas. However, Enterobacteriaceae were only found in surfaces from the kitchen and the reception. From the isolated strains (n = 10), the vast majority were identified as Enterobacter (n = 7). Four of those Enterobacter strains were found to be resistant, with the following resistance profiles: monoresistance to ampicillin (n = 2) and chloramphenicol (n = 1) and cross-resistance to beta-lactam (n = 1). The results serve as an alert to public health authorities, for enteric bacteria resistant to drugs were found in two environments in the facility.