TY - GEN
T1 - Assessment of azole resistance in clinical settings by passive sampling
AU - Caetano, Liliana Aranha
AU - Almeida, Beatriz
AU - Viegas, Carla
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - The exposure to fungal burden is an increased risk factor for the development of respiratory symptoms and fungal diseases. The emergence worldwide of azole resistance in fungal species is a major concern for public health. Clinical settings must provide a clean and safe environment to protect patients and staff from fungal diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the fungal burden and prevalence of azole resistance in clinical settings in Portugal using passive sampling methods. Ten Primary Health Care Centers were evaluated through passive sampling, including electrostatic dust cloths, heating ventilation and air conditioning filters, and settled dust. All samples were plated onto Sabouraud dextrose agar media and screened for azole resistance using agar media supplemented with itraconazole, voriconazole and posaconazole through incubation at 27 °C, for 5 days. Fungal species were identified based on macro and micromorphology. Fungal load ranged from 348 to 424628 CFU·m−2 in EDC, 0 to 56500 CFU·m−2 in HVAC filter, and 2 to 514 CFU·g−1 in settled dust. EDC samples presented the highest fungal loads and wider diversity. Azole resistance was observed in all Primary Health Care Centers. Multi-azole resistance (fungal growth in two or more azoles) was observed in 90% units for Penicillium sp., C. sitophila, and Cladosporium sp. None of the samples containing Aspergillus sp. colonies presented resistance to the tested azoles. The knowledge of the fungal burden and prevalence of resistance to azole-based antifungal drugs in clinical environments will allow a better risk characterization regarding fungal burden.
AB - The exposure to fungal burden is an increased risk factor for the development of respiratory symptoms and fungal diseases. The emergence worldwide of azole resistance in fungal species is a major concern for public health. Clinical settings must provide a clean and safe environment to protect patients and staff from fungal diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the fungal burden and prevalence of azole resistance in clinical settings in Portugal using passive sampling methods. Ten Primary Health Care Centers were evaluated through passive sampling, including electrostatic dust cloths, heating ventilation and air conditioning filters, and settled dust. All samples were plated onto Sabouraud dextrose agar media and screened for azole resistance using agar media supplemented with itraconazole, voriconazole and posaconazole through incubation at 27 °C, for 5 days. Fungal species were identified based on macro and micromorphology. Fungal load ranged from 348 to 424628 CFU·m−2 in EDC, 0 to 56500 CFU·m−2 in HVAC filter, and 2 to 514 CFU·g−1 in settled dust. EDC samples presented the highest fungal loads and wider diversity. Azole resistance was observed in all Primary Health Care Centers. Multi-azole resistance (fungal growth in two or more azoles) was observed in 90% units for Penicillium sp., C. sitophila, and Cladosporium sp. None of the samples containing Aspergillus sp. colonies presented resistance to the tested azoles. The knowledge of the fungal burden and prevalence of resistance to azole-based antifungal drugs in clinical environments will allow a better risk characterization regarding fungal burden.
KW - Azole resistance
KW - Clinical environment
KW - Passive sampling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85068600679&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-030-24067-7_29
DO - 10.1007/978-3-030-24067-7_29
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85068600679
SN - 9783030240660
T3 - Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing
SP - 248
EP - 256
BT - Health and social care systems of the future
A2 - Cotrim, Teresa Patrone
A2 - Serranheira, Florentino
A2 - Sousa, Paulo
A2 - Hignett, Sue
A2 - Albolino, Sara
A2 - Tartaglia, Riccardo
PB - Springer Verlag
T2 - International Conference on Healthcare Ergonomics and Patient Safety, HEPS 2019
Y2 - 3 July 2019 through 5 July 2019
ER -
