| Abstract: | The evaluation of workers as potential reservoirs and disseminators of pathogenic
bacteria has been described as a strategy for the prevention and control of
healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the
presence of Enterobacteriaceae in the oral cavity of workers at an
oncology hospital in the Midwest region of Brazil, as well as to characterize the
phenotypic profile of the isolates. Saliva samples of 294 workers from the hospital’s
healthcare and support teams were collected. Microbiological procedures were
performed according to standard techniques. Among the participants, 55 (18.7%) were
colonized by Enterobacteriaceae in the oral cavity. A total of 64
bacteria were isolated, including potentially pathogenic species. The most prevalent
species was Enterobacter gergoviae (17.2%). The highest rates of
resistance were observed for β-lactams, and 48.4% of the isolates were considered
multiresistant. Regarding the enterobacteria isolated, the production of ESBL and KPC
was negative. Nevertheless, among the 43 isolates of the CESP group, 51.2% were
considered AmpC β-lactamase producers by induction, and 48.8% were hyper-producing
mutants. The significant prevalence of carriers of
Enterobacteriaceae and the phenotypic profile of the isolates
represents a concern, especially due to the multiresistance and production of AmpC
β-lactamases. |
