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ACTA
STOMATOLOGICA

NAISSI

Table of Contents for
Jun 2013 • Volume 29 • Number 67

ENVIRONMENTAL AND GLOVES’ CONTAMINATION BY STAPHYLOCOCCI
IN DENTAL HEALTHCARE SETTINGS

  1Giuseppe A. Messano,
2Virgilio De Bono,
1Renato Architrave,
1Stefano Petti

1 SAPIENZA UNIVERSITY, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES, ROME, ITALY;
2 ITALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, ROMAN SECTION, ROME, ITALY

doi: 10.5937/asn1367255M
     
...Abstract


Introduction. Each year, 37,000 people in Europe die as direct consequence of healthcare-associated infections. Staphylococcus aureus (especially methicillin-resistant -MRSA) and coagulase- negative staphylococci (CNS) are frequently isolated in these episodes. Environmental contamination by S. aureus, MRSA and CNS in dental healthcare settings is reported moderately frequently, although the associated risk for infection is not clear.
Aim. To investigate contamination of disposal gloves and of clinical contact surfaces by several types of staphylococci in dental offices soon after dental therapy.
Material and methods. 136 general dental practitioners (GDPs) voluntarily participated. At each sampling occasion, environmental samples were collected from the tray and from the gloved dominant hand, soon after dental therapy of the second or third patient of the working session. Contact plates containing Mannitol Salt Agar were used. Overall staphylococci, S. aureus, CNS and Staphylococcus epidermidis (member of CNS group) were presumptively identified and resistance to oxacillin was tested to identify methicillin-resistant (MR) strains.
Results. Staphylococci were detected in 41% and 57% samples from trays and from gloves, respectively; S. aureus in 5% and 5%, CNS in 36% and 52%, S. epidermidis in 18% and 44%, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in 1.5% and 1.5%, MRCNS in 1.5% and 2.2%, MR-S. epidermidis in 1.5% and 1.5%. The samples collected from the trays were correlated with those collected from hands for all these types of staphylococci.
Conclusion. Although it was not possible to ascertain the main source of staphylococci contamination -patient or GDP, dominant hands and clinical contact surfaces were frequently contaminated.

Key words: dentistry, clinical contact surface, gloves, general dental practitioner, Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus epidermidis
 

...Authors and Reprint Information

Address of correspondence:
Dr. Giuseppe Alessio Messano
Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases
Sapienza University
P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy

Phone/Fax: +3906 4991 4667
e-mail address: giuseppe.messano@yahoo.it

Copyright © 2013 by The Editorial Council of The Acta Stomatologica Naissi