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- Indoor air quality and sustainability management — case study in three portuguese healthcare unitsPublication . Fonseca, Ana; Abreu, Isabel; Guerreiro, Maria; Abreu, Cristina; Silva, Ricardo; Barros, NelsonAdequate management of indoor air quality (IAQ) in healthcare units has relevant impacts on sustainability performance due to its effects on patient safety, occupational health and safety, and energy consumptions. This study sought to identify improvement opportunities on IAQ management by collecting and analyzing experimental data of selected parameters in three healthcare units in Portugal: Two general hospitals and one primary healthcare center. Indoor air temperature, relative humidity, CO2, bacteria, and fungi concentrations were measured in summer and winter campaigns in June/July 2017 and in January/March 2018. Results show that the exclusive use of natural ventilation is not adequate when the affluence of users is high, but the analyzed parameters revealed acceptable results under low occupation intensity conditions. Results also show that keeping low indoor air relative humidity has a significant impact in reducing fungi concentration and that there is a significant correlation at the 0.05 level between indoor air CO2 concentration and bacterial loads. Therefore, as opportunities to improve sustainability, IAQ management in healthcare facilities should consider natural ventilation as a complement to mechanical ventilation systems and should focus on adequate control of indoor air relative humidity and CO2 concentration to reduce the risk of airborne infections.
- Contribuição das suiniculturas na selecção e disseminação de Enterococcus spp resistentes às tetraciclinasPublication . Nogueira, Ana; Dias, Ana; Silva, Ricardo; Freitas, Ana R.; Sousa, João Carlos; Peixe, Luísa; Novais, CarlaApesar dos antibióticos terem sido abolidos na União Europeia como promotores de crescimento, uma elevada percentagem de Enterococcus spp resistentes às tetraciclinas e genes que lhes conferem resistência (tetM, tetL, tetS) foram detectados em amostras animais e ambientais de suiniculturas portuguesas. Estes dados são preocupantes e podem estar associados a um elevado consumo destes antibióticos em medicina veterinária. A presença de tais estirpes em amostras de ar e de estrume usado como fertilizante agrícola pode ainda promover a sua dispersão fora das explorações animais. Although antibiotics were banned from European Union as animal growth promoters, a high percentage of Enterococcus spp resistant to tetracyclines and genes conferring resistance to these agents (tetM, tetL, tetS) were detected in animal and environmental samples collected in Portuguese piggeries. These data are of concern and might be associated to the consumption of high amounts of these antibiotics in veterinary medicine. The presence of such strains in air and manure used as fertilizer in agriculture might promote their dissemination outside the animal production setting.
- Estudo preliminar da actividade antimicrobiana das folhas de cydonia oblonga millerPublication . Filipe, Catarina; Silva, Ricardo; Miranda, Ana; Oliveira, Andreia P.; Silva, Branca M.; Sousa, João Carlos; Cerqueira, FátimaO marmelo é reconhecido como uma importante fonte de compostos promotores da saúde sendo que a actividade antimicrobiana dos extractos da sua polpa, casca e sementes foi já avaliada. Não existem porém estudos da actividade antimicrobiana das folhas de marmeleiro. Este estudo preliminar teve como objectivo determinar a actividade dos seus extractos metanólicos. Concluiu-se que os extractos testados não apresentam actividade em E. coli, S. aureus, C. albicans, C. glabrata, A. niger, A. fumigatus, Mucor spp e Absídia spp pelo que novos extractos devem ser preparados sendo posteriormente avaliados. Quince fruit is recognized an important source of health promoting compounds being the antimicrobial activities of the quince pulp, peel grape and seed extracts already evaluated. No results are known for quince leaves antimicrobial activity. This preliminary work intended to determine the activity of quince leaves methanolic extracts. These had no antimicrobial activity either against E. coli, S. aureus, C. albicans, C. glabrata, A. niger, A. fumigatus, Mucor spp e Absídia spp and new extracts must be prepared and evaluated.
- Identification of yeast and non-pigmented cultivable endodontic bacteria in adult portuguese patientsPublication . Teles, Ana Moura; Manso, M. Conceição; Loureiro, Sara Manuela Marinho; Silva, Ricardo; Madeira, Inês; Pina, Cristina Maria San Román Gomes de; Cabeda, José ManuelIntroduction This study has focused on the identification of the yeasts and non-pigmented bacteria present on adult patients with necrosis or apical periodontitis and the ones who resisted chemomechanical preparation and intracanal dressing with calcium hydroxide paste (Ca(OH)2) or 2% chlorohexidine digluconate gel (CHX). Methods 69 single-rooted teeth of adult patients with necrosis associated or not with apical periodontitis were selected (strict inclusion criteria); CHX group: 34 teeth; Ca(OH)2 group: 35 teeth. Bacteria samples were taken at baseline (S1), after chemo-mechanical preparation (S2) and after 14 days of intracanal dressing (S3). Bacteria and fungal presence was evaluate by means of culture in three atmospheres (aerobic, anaerobic, microaerofilic) in appropriate culture broads. Strict techniques were used for serial dilution, plating, incubation and identification. Results The most represented, abundant and prevalent strains of non-pigmented bacteria were Propionibacterium acnes (detected in S1, S2 and S3), Gemella morbillorum and Clostridium difficile. Candida albicans was found in 9 patients. The higher number of isolates proceeded from S1, being S2 the moment with lowest number of isolates. CHX had a worst performance in disinfection of the root canal system; consequently the number of isolates from S3 samples was bigger compared to Ca(OH)2. The number of identified bacterial species per canal/moment of sampling, varied from zero till 5, including yeasts (Candida albicans). Conclusions: Our findings confirm that the microbiota from primary endodontic infections is polymicrobial, and the anaerobes Gram-positive non-pigmented bacteria are well represented. CHX performed worse, consequently the number of isolates from S3 samples was bigger when compared to Ca(OH)2 as well as with diagnosis of necrosis.
- High prevalence of TCRB, a copper resistance gene, in antibiotic-resistant enterococci from swines and piggeries environmentPublication . Silveira, Eduarda; Gomes, Francisca; Freitas, Ana R.; Silva, Ricardo; Sousa, João Carlos; Coque, Teresa M.; Peixe, Luísa; Novais, CarlaCopper is largely used as an animal growth-promoter in intensive animal production. Different Portuguese piggeries are reservoir of tcrB gene (coding for copper resistance) which is disseminated in different enterococcal species, samples and piggeries. Resistance to erythromycin seems to be more common among enterococci harbouring tcrB. This gene is frequently transferred using tetracycline or erythromycin as selective agents. The selection of antibiotic resistance bacteria in the animal setting might be associated with the use of antibiotics and/or biocides. Suplementos de cobre são largamente utilizados como promotores de crescimento na produção animal intensiva. Diferentes suiniculturas Portuguesas são reservatório do gene tcrB (resistência ao cobre), disseminado em várias espécies de Enterococcus provenientes de amostras animais e ambientais. A resistência à eritromicina parece ser mais comum entre bactérias tcrB+. Este gene é frequentemente transferido usando quer a tetraciclina quer a eritromicina como elementos de pressão selectiva. A selecção de bactérias resistentes aos antibióticos no ambiente de produção animal parece estar relacionada quer com o uso destas moléculas quer com produtos biocidas.
- Modulation of human lymphocyte proliferation by antibacterial drugsPublication . Gomes, Ema; Esteves, Alexandra; Silva, Ricardo; Sousa, João Carlos; Cerqueira, FátimaThe aim of this work was to perform a systematic study of the interference of the different antibiotics with phytohaemaglutinin (PHA) stimulated human lymphocytes proliferation. Twelve antibiotics from different therapeutic classes were chosen: b-lactams (amoxicillin; ceftriaxone; imipenem), glycopeptides (vancomycin), aminoglycosides (gentamicin), macrolides (erythromycin), tetracyclines (tetracycline), rifampicin, quinolones (ciprofloxacin; nalidixic acid), sulfonamides (sulfamethoxazole) and nitrofuran (nitrofurantoin). Nitrofurantoin showed the strongest antiproliferative effect while tetracycline and rifampicin showed only moderate activities. All the other antibiotics were inactive even at the maximum concentration tested (100mg/ml). O objectivo do trabalho foi o estudo sistemático da interferência dos diferentes antibióticos com a proliferação de linfócitos humanos estimulados com fitohemaglutinina (PHA). Foram seleccionados doze antibióticos pertencentes a diferentes grupos terapêuticos: b-lactâmicos (amoxicilina; ceftriaxona; imipenemo), glicopéptidos (vancomicina), aminoglicosídeos (gentamicina), macrólidos (eritromicina), tetraciclinas (tetraciclina), rifampicina, quinolonas (ciprofloxacina; ácido nalidíxico), sulfonamidas (sulfametoxazole) e nitrofuranos (nitrofurantoína). A nitrofurantoína mostrou ser um potente inibidor da proliferação dos linfócitos enquanto a tetraciclina e a rifampicina apenas exibiram actividades moderadas. Nenhum dos outros antibióticos foi activo mesmo na concentração máxima testada (100 mg/ml).