Análise da contaminação microbiológica e de procedimentos de desinfecção de panos e esponjas utilizadas em serviços de alimentação hospitalar

Abstract

Food safety, within the context of Food and Nutrition Units, is one of the key factors in ensuring quality of service. In a hospital unit, where the primary goal is health recovery, food and nutrition services play an important role in helping to provide the necessary nutrient input. Cross contamination is responsible for most cases of foodborne illness. As such, cleaning cloths and sponges are highlighted as they can transfer significant amounts of microorganisms to surfaces and utensils used in food preparation. Based on the above, the objective of this study was to analyze the microbiological contamination of sponges and cleaning cloths used in hospital feeding units, as well as the effectiveness of two different methods of disinfection performed by Nutrition Units and the bacterial adherence in these materials. Dishcloths, disposable multipurpose cloths and cleaning sponges were collected at a hospital Nutrition Units located in the city of Pelotas-RS. These materials were subjected to viable cell counts for total and thermotolerant coliforms, coagulase positive Staphylococcus and mesophiles; In addition, efficiency tests of the disinfection methods performed by Nutrition Units were performed; scanning electron microscopy; antimicrobial susceptibility testing; biofilm formation capacity of isolates and virulence factors. According to the results obtained, it can be observed that in the samples of dishcloths and sponge sanitized by Nutrition Units itself, total and thermotolerant coliforms counts were found in the sample from the patients' dishes, only total. In the rags and sponges analyzed after the shift use was found count of all analyzed microorganisms. After being sanitized according to current legislation, there was no growth of any of the analyzed microorganisms. According to the results obtained by electromicroscopic analysis, high bacterial adhesion was verified after the use of cleaning materials during one shift by Nutrition Units. It was observed that all isolates were resistant to penicillin antimicrobial and were classified as poor biofilm producers. Sponges isolates showed higher virulence than other materials when the gelatinase, DNAse and hemolytic activity tests were analyzed. Additionally, it is essential that good practice procedures are implemented in food and nutrition services.