Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina (MRSA) em superfícies de interação infantil na Pediatria de um hospital universitário

Background

This study evaluated environmental contamination by Staphylococcus aureus in the Pediatric Department of the Hospital de Clínicas of the Federal University of Uberlândia (HC-UFU), as well as the antimicrobial resistance profile of the isolated strains, aiming to understand the potential risks associated with the circulation of this pathogen.

Methods

A total of 70 samples were collected from surfaces and objects in the pediatric unit. Bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed, including the D-test for inducible clindamycin resistance and phenotypic screening for the MRSA profile.

Results

Of the 70 samples analyzed, 9 (12.87%) were positive for S. aureus, of which 8 (88.8%) were classified as MRSA profile. No strains were isolated from toys, a finding possibly associated with the cleaning protocols adopted, whereas shared-use surfaces showed the highest contamination rates. The D-test detected inducible clindamycin resistance in 55.5% of the isolates.

Conclusions

The findings reinforce the importance of biosafety measures, including proper cleaning, microbiological surveillance, and the rational use of antimicrobials, and suggest a possible route of S. aureus transmission between the community and the hospital environment.