The occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria on the clothes of nursery teachers in daycare centres

Abstract

Aims: Childcare facilities act as microenvironments that facilitate and promote the selection, spread and transmission of antibiotic-resistant micro-organisms in the community. We focused on the study of antimicrobial resistance and genetic predispositions for β-lactamase production in bacterial isolates from nursery teachers' clothing.

Methods and results: Antimicrobial resistance of bacterial strains belonging to Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp. and Bacillus spp. isolated from 80 samples of nursery teachers' clothing was determined. The selected ESβL genes were found in 30 (44.1%) of 68 strains examined. The CTX-M type ESβL determinants were detected in 15.4%, 71.5% and 42.5% of the Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas and Bacillus isolates, respectively. The OXA-type coding genes were detected only in strains of the genera Pseudomonas (57.1%) and Bacillus (48.6%). Thus, most B. cereus strains were sensitive to the recommended antibiotics used to treat infections caused by these bacteria. Methicillin resistance was phenotypically confirmed in 27 (14.6%) of 185 staphylococcal isolates. Four isolates (2.2%) were identified as MRSA. Vancomycin resistance was not observed in any of the staphylococcal and enterococci strains.

Conclusions: This study has shown that potential pathogens have been isolated from the clothing of nursery teachers, posing a risk of transmission to children. These clothes should be maintained and properly laundered to avoid cross-contamination and the spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in childcare centres.

Significance and impact of the study: This study provides insight into the route of transmission of MDR micro-organisms through the clothing of nursery teachers, to which greater importance should be given in the future. Proper procedures for the cleaning and use of clothing in daycare centres should be clarified and standardized.

Keywords: MRSA; antimicrobial resistance; childcare Centre; clothes; extended-spectrum β-lactamases; public health.