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Ants as potential vectors of pathogens in hospitals in the state of sao paulo, brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Harold G. Fowler ,
Odair C. Bueno ,
Terue Sadatsune  and
Agusto C. Montelli
Harold G. Fowler
Affiliation:
Institute de Biociencias, UNESP, 13500 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
Odair C. Bueno
Affiliation:
Institute de Biociencias, UNESP, 13500 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
Terue Sadatsune
Affiliation:
Instituto de Biociencias, UNESP, 18600 Botucatu, SP, Brazil
Agusto C. Montelli
Affiliation:
Facultade de Medicina, UNESP, 18600 Botucatu, SP, Brazil
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Abstract

Baiting studies performed in large, medium and small hospitals in Brazil revealed the presence of 14 ant species, with up to nine recorded in one hospital. Dominant species were exotic ants, and in the large hospital, Tapinoma melanocephalum was the most prevalent. Ants were not uniformly spread through the hospitals, but tended to be found in the more critical areas, particularly in nursery, intensive care, obstetrics, neurology and dermatology units. Bacteriological studies using specific media for bacteria associated with intra-hospital infections indicated the potential for the mechanical vectoring of species of Staphylococcus, Serratia, Klebsiella, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, Candida and Enterococcus by ants. Although T. melanocephalum did not have the highest rate of association with these bacteria, its ubiquitous occurrences resulted in the highest overall potential as a vector of these bacteria. Because of a largenumber of ant species occurring in Brazilian hospitals, ants pose a potential problem to the spread of diseases in hospitals. Because of the number of associated ant species in hospitals, the control of this potential problem is much more difficult than in registered temperate areas.

Résumé

Des études avec des pièges alimentaires efféctues dans des hôpitax de grande, moyenne et petite taille au Brésil montrent la présence de 14 espèces de fourmis plus de neuf ont été trouvées dans un même hôpital. Les espèces dominantes étaient des fourmis exotiques, et dans le plus grand hôpital, Tapinoma melanocephalum était la plus répandue. Dans les hôpitaux les fourmis on été trouvées surtout dans des unités de maternite, soin intensive, obstétrique, neurologie et dermatologie, les lieux les plus critiques. Des études bacteriologiques avec millieux spécifiques pour bactéries associéesaux infections intra-hôpitaux montrent que des espèces de Staphylococcus, Serratia, Klebsiella, Acinetobacter, Enterbacter, Candida et Enterococcus ont un potentiel d'être transportées méchaniquement par des fourmis. Bien que T. melanocephalum n'ait pas le plus grand taux d'association avec ces bacteries, son ubiquité lui accorde le plus grand potentiel comme vecteur de ces bactéries. Puisque plusiers espèces de fourmis sont trouvées dans les hôpitaux brésiliens, elles peuvent representer un problème potentiel, ça veut dire, la dissemination des maladies dans des hôpitaux. Acause de ce nombre d'espéces de fourmis associés aux hôpitaux le contrôle du problème potentiel est beaucoup plus difficile ici que celui demontré dans les zones tempérées.

Keywords

Antsvectorsintra-hospital infectionbacteriaBrazilTapinoma melanocephalumFourmisvecteursinfections intra-hôpitauxbacterieBrésilTapinoma melanocephalum
Type
Research Artilces
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , June 1993 , pp. 367 - 370
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1993

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