Resumo

SANTOS, Rachel Medeiros dos; SANTOS, Fábio Luiz Medeiros dos; RAMACCIATO, Juliana Cama  e  JUNQUEIRA, José Luiz Cintra. Evaluation of antimicrobial contamination and resistance to Staphylococcus aureus collected from radiographic materials used in dentistry. RGO, Rev. gaúch. odontol. (Online) [online]. 2012, vol.60, n.4, pp. 467-477. ISSN 1981-8637.

Objective The aim of this study was to quantify Staphylococcus aureus isolated from materials used in radiographic processing, as well as to determine their sensitivity to antimicrobial agents commonly used in dentistry. Methods Samples were collected at the endodontics clinic of São Leopoldo Mandic Dental School, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil and then inoculated in brain heart-infusion (BHI) agar and mannitol salt agar. After incubation at 37°C for 24 hours, colony-forming units (cfu/ml) were counted. Commercial paper disks containing widely prescribed antimicrobial agents were used to perform the antibiotic susceptibility tests. Results The highest bacterial contamination was observed in the lids of the portable dark rooms. The highest bacterial resistance rates were observed for erythromycin (60%) and the beta-lactam group: penicillin G (25%); ampicillin (18%); and amoxicillin (28%). Conclusion In conclusion, the present study highlights the need to establish strategies to prevent bacterial cross-contamination during radiographic procedures in dental settings.

Palavras-chave : Contamination.; Radiology.; Staphylococcus aureus..