β-Lactam and chloramphenicol-resistant enterobacteria in hospital surfaces

Abstract

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 cm² 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 crossresistance 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.

Key words: Enteric bacteria, antimicrobial resistance, hospital environment.