Skip to main content
×
×
Home

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

  • Harold G. Fowler (a1), Odair C. Bueno (a1), Terue Sadatsune (a2) and Agusto C. Montelli (a3)
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.

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.

Copyright
References
Hide All
Aleskeev, A. N., Bibiovka, V. A., Brinkman, T. and Kantarbaeva, Z. (1972) The persistence of viable plague microbes on the epidermis and in the alimentary tract of Monomorium pharaonis in experimental conditions. Med. Parazit. 41, 237239.
Beatson, S. H. (1972) Pharoah's ants as pathogen vectors in hospitals. Lancet 1, 425427.
Berndt, K. P. and Eichler, W. (1987) Die Pharaoameise, Monomorium pharaonis L. (Hym., Myrmicidae). Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin 63, 3186.
Bueno, O. C. and Fowler, H. G. (1992) Exotic ants and the ant fauna of Brazilian hospitals. In Exotic Ants: Problems and Perspectives (Edited by Williams, D. F.), Boulder, Westview Press, (in press).
Czejkowska, M. (1979) Wystepowaniei rozprzenianie sie Monomorium pharaonis L. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) naterenie warssawy. Frag. Faun 23, 343361.
Edwards, J. P. (1986) The biology, economic importance and control of the pharoah's ant, Monomorium pharaonis L. In Economic Impact and Control of Social Insects (Edited by Vinson, S. B.). pp. 257271. Praeger Press, New York.
Edwards, J. P. and Baker, L. F. (1981) Distribution and importance of the pharaoh's ant, Monomorium pharaonis L., in national health service hospitals in England. J. Hosp. Infec. 2, 249254.
Eichler, W. (1962) Verbreitung und Ausbreitungsterndenzen der Pharaoameise in Mitteleuropa (Nach eigenen Erfahrungen in Deutschland, Osterreich, Polen und Tschechoslowakei berichtet). Prakt. Schad. 14, 12.
Eichler, W. (1978) Die verbreitung der Pharaoameise in Europa. Memor. Zool. 29, 3140.
Eichler, W. (1990) Health aspects and control of Monomorium pharaonis. In Applied Myrmecology: a World Perspective (Edited by Vander Meer, R. K., Jaffe, K. and Cedeno, A.), pp. 671675. Boulder Westview Press.
Green, A. A., Kane, M. J., Tyler, P. S. and Halstead, D. G. (1953) The control of pharoah's ants in hospitals. Pest. Infest. Res. 24, 1953.
Ipinza-Regala, J., Figueora, G. and Osorio, J. (1981) Iridomyrmexhumilis, “hormiga argentina”, como vector de infecciones intrahospitalarias. I. Estudio bacteriologico. Folia Entomol. Mex. 50, 8196.
Krzeminska, A., Styczynska, B., Monrawska, H. and Sereda, B., (1979) Eradication of Monomorium pharaonis (L.) in the infested flats in the city of Warsaw. Rocz. wow. zak. hig, 30, 623631.
Rupes, V., Chmela, J., Hrdy, I. and Krecek, K. (1983) Effectiveness of methoprene-impregnated baits in the control of Monomorium pharaonis and populations infesting health establishments and households. J. Hig. Epidem. Microbiol. Immunol. 27, 295303.
Steinbrink, H. (1978) Pharaoameisen auf einer Fruhgeburtenstation. Z. angew. Parasitol. 19, 2831.
Sy, M. (1987) Uber einige Probleme bei der Bekampfung der Pharaoameise (Monomorium pharaonis) (L.) mit dem Rinal Pharaoameisenkoder mit bester EmpfehIung. Anz. Schad. Planz. Umwelt. 60, 5155.
Recommend this journal

Email your librarian or administrator to recommend adding this journal to your organisation's collection.

International Journal of Tropical Insect Science
  • ISSN: 1742-7584
  • EISSN: 1742-7592
  • URL: /core/journals/international-journal-of-tropical-insect-science
Please enter your name
Please enter a valid email address
Who would you like to send this to? *
×

Keywords:

Metrics

Full text views

Total number of HTML views: 0
Total number of PDF views: 5 *
Loading metrics...

Abstract views

Total abstract views: 329 *
Loading metrics...

* Views captured on Cambridge Core between September 2016 - 12th June 2018. This data will be updated every 24 hours.