Metagenomic analysis of the dust particles collected from the suction tube and the suction funnel of a dermatological laser smoke evacuator system.

Abstract

In the last few decades, there has essentially been an explosion in the use of lasers in medicine, especially in the area of cosmetic dermatology. Potentially harmful substances are liberated when tissues are vaporized with laser. This creates numerous risks, including the spread of infectious disease. Smoke evacuators are devices that capture and filter laser plume, thereby maintaining a safe environment for the surgical team and patient. Our aim was to characterize the microbial community structure within the suction tube and funnel of the smoke evacuator system, identify their origin, and evaluate pathogenicity. Dust particles were collected from the instruments with a cotton swab. DNA was extracted from the swabs and the transport media, and sequencing was performed using the Illumina HiSeq Xplatform. Metagenomic analysis was conducted using the Empowering the Development of Genomics Expertise (EDGE) Bioinformatics pipeline and custom Python scripts. The most abundant bacterial species were Micrococcus luteus and Brevibacterium casei in the suction tube, and Dermacoccus sp. Ellin 185 and Janibacter hoylei in the suction funnel. A total of 15 medium- to high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were constructed where we found 104 antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) and 741 virulence factors. Findings indicate that the suction tube and funnel are likely a reservoir of virulence factor genes and ARGs, which can possibly be passed on to other bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. We would like to emphasize the health risk these microorganisms pose and the need to reevaluate the current hygiene standards with regard to the smoke evacuator system.