Microbiological contamination in a university veterinary hospital

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the microbiological contamination of the different sectors of a university veterinary hospital, the efficiency of the sanitation procedures performed, and the resistance to antimicrobials and disinfectants. Fourteen environmental samples and seven swab samples were collected from procedure tables of the different sectors. During analysis, the following microorganisms were found: bacterial species Rothia spp., coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus spp. and zygomycete fungi (could not be classified in genus due to the absence of reproductive structures) and other fungal species Cladosporium spp., Epicoccum spp., Drechslera spp., Scopulariopsis spp., and Penicillium spp. The bacterial species were submitted to a sensitivity assessment of the antimicrobials used in routine prescription. Rothia spp. and S. aureus were resistant only to erythromycin (15 µg), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. were resistant to erythromycin (15 µg) and sulfazotrim (25 µg), and Enterococcus spp. were resistant to ampicillin (10 µg). For the effectiveness test of disinfectants, the products used to sanitize hospital surfaces were tested. All microorganisms in this study were resistant to 1% sodium hypochlorite solution. Rothia spp. and Enterococcus spp. were resistant to 70% ethyl alcohol. The best results were found using pure sodium hypochlorite and benzalkonium chloride, pure and diluted to 20%, which showed a bactericidal effect against all tested microorganisms. These data are relevant for knowledge of the hospital microbiota at the intersection of possible cases of hospital infections.