Formigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) como vetores de bactérias em dois hospitais do município de Divinópolis, Estado de Minas Gerais

Abstract

Entre os Artrópodes, os insetos sociais, e particularmente as formigas, estão entre os animais que melhor se adaptaram ao ambiente urbano, apresentando uma maior diversidade nas regiões tropicais. Estima-se que existam cerca de 18.000 espécies de formigas em todo o mundo, sendo no Brasil já catalogadas mais de 2.000 espécies. Poucas espécies de formigas são importantes por causarem problemas ao homem, sendo que apenas 1% são consideradas pragas e menos de 50 espécies estão adaptadas ao ambiente urbano 4 .Por apresentarem a capacidade de transportar microrganismos patogênicos, quando ocorrem em hospitais constituem um perigo potencial à saúde pública, podendo essas estar diretamente associadas ao problema de infecção hospitalar 2 3 6 12 17 21 . Formigas ABSTRACTThe presence of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in hospital environments may constitute a public health problem, especially since they are mechanical vectors for pathogenic organisms. This study aimed to survey the ant populations and analyze the presence of bacteria associated with them in two medium-sized regional hospitals in the municipality of Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Specimens were collected every monthly over a six-month period. The following ant species were found: Pheidole sp1 and sp2, Linepithema humile, Wasmannia auropunctata, Camponotus sp1 and sp2, Odontomachus sp, Solenopsis sp, Acromyrmex sp and Tapinoma melenocephalum. It was observed that these ants mechanically transported Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Escherichia coli and non-pathogenic and pathogenic Staphylococcus. These results show the propensity for occurrences of hospital infections at these sites caused by mechanical transmission of pathogens by ants.

Ants as Vectors of Bacteria in Hospital Environments

“…The genera identified in the present study have been described in previous investigations on the presence of ants in hospital environments in Brazil [5,6,14,32]. The studies cited revealed that ant diversity in Brazilian hospitals is consistently high [33].…”

Cryptococcus neoformans carried by Odontomachus bauri ants

“…To date, there have been no reports on the association of fungi with the genus Odontomachus, although the association of these ants with bacteria has been studied (Caetano et al 2009, dos Santos et al 2009). The role of ants, including Odontomachus spp, as mechanical vectors of pathogenic bacteria within hospitals was recently demonstrated by dos Santos et al (2009), uncovering a public health problem because these bacteria can be directly associated with nosocomial infections.…”

“…The role of ants, including Odontomachus spp, as mechanical vectors of pathogenic bacteria within hospitals was recently demonstrated by dos Santos et al (2009), uncovering a public health problem because these bacteria can be directly associated with nosocomial infections. In another study, bacteria were found in the digestive tract of O. bauri, the same species of ant as investigated in the present study, suggesting the participation of these bacteria in the food digestion of this ant (Caetano et al 2009).…”

Bactérias Gram positivas veiculadas por formigas em ambiente hospitalar de Porto Velho, Estado de Rondônia, Brasil

“…As formigas poderiam facilitar a sua instalação carreando os endósporos. Para Santos et al 14 , o conhecimento sobre a espécie, nicho e o modo de vida desses artrópodes podem ajudar na formulação de medidas profiláticas e de controle de infecções hospitalares, bem como o conhecimento sobre as bactérias que eles carreiam. Guilarde et al 15 constataram que 34,5% de letalidade, associada às infecções da corrente sanguínea, esta associado a bactérias oportunistas carreadas por formigas.…”