Biossegurança: análise microbiológica dos jalecos de estudantes da Universidade Federal do Ceará

Abstract

The white coat is an individual and colletive protection and this quality supports the protection against possible risks. Therefore, the white coat can protect laboratory and healthcare workers from biological agents. However, students of health use their white coats like an ordinary clothe. They commonly use at refectories, snack bars, halls and other outside environments. This behavior is dangerous and can cause diseases. It is not recommended to use white coats at these environments because of a possible contamination of them, and also consequently contamination of students. This subject is not introduced completely in a pharmacy curriculum planning and there is not a plan to implement it on private and public education institutes of superior level. If we consider that students of health are always in contact with bacterias, virus in biological sample and fluids, it is clear that principles of biosecurity are fundamentally important. This research wanted to check grade of contamination from student’s coats, investigating the real situation from biological security of students. The methodology used was based in collect of samples from white coats of 100 students from Pharmacy, Odontology, Nursing and Medicine courses, at Federal University of Ceara. The collect was made using a sterile swab in tissues from white coats in a region of 4 cm² in sleeves or front of them. After that, samples were seeded in Petri dishes with Blood Agar Plate to make microbiological analysis. Results evidenced that there were about 85 % contaminated white coats, 78,84 % (41 of 52) from students of pharmacy, 95 % (19 of 20) from students of nursing, 94,44 % (17 of 18) from students of odontology and 80 % (8 of 10) from students of medicine. The most commonly bacterial form found were Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Gram negative coccus. Bacterias with hemolytic activity were found too. Therefore, this research shows that student’s white coats can be a vector for microbiological contamination. They can contribute to infections. It is necessary preventive measures and more capacity of professionals that can promote a real biosecurity practice