Bacterial pathogens isolated from cockroaches trapped from paediatric wards in peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

A survey was conducted in 4 paediatric wards in Malaysia to determine the distribution of various species of cockroaches and to examine their gut contents for bacteria. Cockroaches were trapped from food dispensing areas (kitchens), store rooms, cupboards and open wards. 104 cockroaches were caught, consisting of Periplaneta americana (67.3%), Blattella germanica (26%), P. brunnea (4.8%), and Supella longipalpa (1.9%). Bacteria were isolated from all cockroaches except 3 P. americana. Many bacterial species were identified, including the pathogenic and potentially pathogenic species Shigella boydii, S. dysenteriae, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebseilla oxytoca, K. ozaena and Serratia marcescens.

Carriage by the German cockroach (Blattella germanica) of multiple-antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are potentially pathogenic to humans, in hospitals and households in Tripoli, Libya

“…There is clearly considerable geographical (or, perhaps, environmental) variation in the bacteria carried by B. germanica (Rivault et al, 1993;Le Guyader et al, 1989;Fotedar et al, 1989), even over short distances such as those between the hospitals and houses sampled in the present study. Salmonellae and shigellae were not recovered in the present investigation but they were detected by Oothuman et al (1989), on or in B. germanica trapped on paediatric wards in Peninsular Malaysia.…”

Study of Pathogenic Microorganisms in the External Body Parts of American Cockroach (Periplaneta americana) Collected from different Kitchens.

“…Bacteria were isolated from all cockroaches except 3 P. americana. Many bacterial species were identified, including the pathogenic and potentially pathogenic species Shigella boydii, S. dysenteriae, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebseilla oxytoca, K. ozaena and Serratia marcescens (Oothuman et al, 1989).…”

Antibiotic resistance patterns of bacterial strains isolated from Periplaneta americana and Musca domestica in Tangier, Morocco

“…American cockroaches and houseflies are often found in intimate association with human beings and are present in large numbers in and around houses or hospitals and in urban areas and villages with poor sanitation and insalubrious conditions [1,2]. Furthermore, their feeding mechanisms and filthy breeding habits make them the ideal agents for harbouring and transmitting pathogenic bacteria [3][4][5].…”