ENVIRONMENTAL AND GLOVES' CONTAMINATION BY STA- PHYLOCOCCI IN DENTAL HEALTHCARE SETTINGS

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.