Abstract
The aim of the study is to investigate the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. nasal colonization among dental surgeon professors. Dental surgeon professors of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) responded to a questionnaire covering sociodemographic, employment and behavioral data, and were subjected to clinical specimen collection by nasal swab. Identification and susceptibility testing of bacteria were performed by automated method (Vitek 2 compactTM). Susceptibility to mupirocin was tested by disk-diffusion method. The detection of mecA and lukS-F genes was performed by PCR. The genetic similarity among the isolates was determined by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis. Four (9.7%) dental surgeon professors were colonized by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. and claim have provided care to patients without wearing surgical masks (1/4) and/or gloves (4/4), and had the habit of keeping surgical masks on the chin (1/4). Two S. aureus and one S. epidermidis isolates were mecA gene positives. MLSB complex (inducible), mupirocin and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim resistance were also detected. The lukS-F gene was not detected in any S. aureus and no genetic similarity was found among the isolates. Dental surgeon professors were found to be colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. and declared noncompliance to infection control practices, posing risk of infection to themselves, patients, students and their families. Key words: Occupational dentistry, antimicrobials/antimicrobial resistance, dental education, infection control, bacteria, infectious disease(s).
Highlights
IntroductionAdditional factors that make healthcare workers (HCW) vulnerable to colonization are the non-adherence to biosecurity measures (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2016; Siegel et al, 2007; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003)
Biohazard exposure is widely addressed in guidelines for healthcare workers (HCW) and there has been a wide discussion about blood borne pathogens (Kuhar et al, 2013; Schillie et al, 2013), little discussion about multidrug-resistant bacteria has taken place (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003)
Most studies about multidrug-resistant bacteria colonization in HCW address those who work in hospital settings (Albrich and Harbarth, 2008)
Summary
Additional factors that make healthcare workers (HCW) vulnerable to colonization are the non-adherence to biosecurity measures (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2016; Siegel et al, 2007; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003). Colonization status poses risks to the HCW since, in an episode of imbalance of the microbiota and immune system, an endogenous infection may be developed (Kim et al, 2018; Zervou et al, 2014; Albrich and Harbarth 2008). It poses risks to the patient, once the colonized HCW becomes a reservoir and a potential source of bacteria in the epidemiological chain of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) (Ugolotti et al, 2018; Kim et al, 2018; Zervou et al, 2014; Costa et al, 2014; Albrich and Harbarth 2008). Studies on the colonization of dental HCW with multidrug-resistant bacteria are scarce (Khairalla et al, 2017), in clinical practice in higher educational institutions, which reflects the reality of clinical care treatments in outpatient dental clinics
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