Abstract
ABSTRACT Objective: This study assessed the prevalence of MRSA, ESBL and VRE in students from four dental schools in Europe. Methods: The hand, tongue and nostrils of the students who treated patients (study group) and who did not treat patients (control group) were sampled. After incubation in TSB and subculturing in the presence of 4 µg/ml oxacillin, positive cultures were identified for Staphylococcus aureus by Mannitol salt agar and agglutination tests. The presence of MRSA was confirmed by specific PCR on the species and on the SSCmec genes. ESBL and VRE were isolated using specific CHROMagar and confirmed using antibiotic sensitivity tests. Results: Of the 879 students who participated in this study (454 students which treated patients, 425 controls) a total of 50 students (5.7%) tested positive for a multi-drug resistant bacterium (MDRB); 13 (1.5%) students tested positive for MRSA, 26 (3.0%) for ESBL and 12 (1.4%) for VRE. No statistically significant differences were found between the students who treated patients compared to the control group for any of the MDRB and study centres, excluding MRSA carriage in the Italian student population. The use of antibiotics the year before sampling, was positively associated with the presence of an MDRB (OR 2.0; 95% Confidence Interval 1.10–3.68; p = 0.02). Conclusion: The risk for MDRB carriage and sequential transmission of MDRB for dental health care students and their patients were acceptably low.
Highlights
Transmission of pathogens is to be expected during a dental treatment [1]
The difference in prevalence between STP+ and STP- did not result in statistically significant differences for any of the multi-drug resistant bacterium (MDRB) and study centres, excluding Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aur eus (MRSA) carriage in the Italian student popu lation which was significantly lower in STP+ than in STP- (Table 1)
Eight students tested positive for an MDRB on more than one sampling site, of whom two students tested positive for MRSA on all three sam pling sites (Table 2)
Summary
Transmission of microorgan isms from the oral cavity or the skin can take place from a patient to the dental team or vice versa, via direct contact, indirect contact or via aerosols. About the clinical consequences of transmission of microorganisms during dental treat ment. The recent coronavirus pandemic questions the extent of transmission of microorganisms to dental healthcare professionals (DHCPs) during dental treat ment. SARS-CoV-2 can, apart from its transmission via aerosols and droplets [2], be transmitted via surfaces [3], which is similar to the transmission route for multi-drug resistant bacteria (MDRB). As in healthcare, the aim in the dental practice is to prevent the transfer of MDRB between patients and DHCPs, or vice versa. Most common MDRB are Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aur eus (MRSA), Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase pro ducing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL) and Vancomycin
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