Fungal contamination in white medical coats of dentistry professionals

Abstract

Background: The white medical coats used by health professionals may serve as a source of infection in health services because it is a potential vehicle for transmission of microorganisms. There are several studies that warn of the inherent dangers in bacterial contamination in lab coats, but there are few reports of fungal contamination in this personal protection equipment. Aims:The study aims to identify fungi in dental lab coats and to propose an adequate cleaning methodology for these lab coats.Method: Samples were collected from ten dentists from a dentistryschool clinic of a higher education institution of Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, using sterile swab, soaked in sterile saline contained in a test tube. Each sample was inoculated on chloramphenicol-containing Saboroud Dextrose agar and incubated at room temperature for fungal growth. Phenotypic and biochemical methods were used to identify the colonies. Results:Fungal growth was observed in all samples of the lab coats, and 19 isolates were counted. The genera Cladosporium and Aspergillus were the most frequent in this study. The results emphasize the role of fungi as contaminants in lab coats; and, as an effective means of transmission of pathogens in the community. Conclusions:This study suggests to wash the coat after each working day using water and soap to remove the first dirt. Then immerse in solution one liter of water to 3ml of bleach for five minutes. Furthermore, this work advocates the need to implement more rigid norms