Article
Isolation of Fungi and Gram Negative Bacteria from Toothbrushes and Bathroom Bioaerosols
Autor
Merino-Alado, Rommie
Garcés, Alessandra
Chianale, Elisa
Corcuera, Carlos
El Fakih, Wanda
Galviz, Dolly
Ortiz, Lisbeth
Sucre Campins, Alfredo
Moronta, Gustavo
Briceño, Elsi
Landaeta, María Eugenia
Mata-Essayag, Sofia
Institución
Resumen
Objective: To identify, using phenotypic methods, FGNB, NFGNB and Candida sp. in
toothbrushes, and environmental samples of bathroom air in a group of students from
the Dentistry School of the Universidad Central de Venezuela. Material and Methods:
Thirty-four toothbrushes were supplied to the cohort during a 60-day period;
environmental samples were collected in the rooms where toothbrushes were kept
during this period. All samples were processed by traditional methods of microbiological
counting isolation and phenotypic identification using selective and differential agar
based on the international guidelines of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 38.
Results: 82.36% of the toothbrush samples were positive to bacteria and fungi and
91.17% of the environmental samples were positive to enterobacteria. Conclusion: It is
necessary to establish antiseptic protocols for the management, storage and disinfection
of toothbrushes. The high rate of contamination may represent an opportunity for
enterobacteria colonization of oral biofilms, reservoir to infection foci and metastatic
infections in certain populations.