title: High positivity of mimivirus in inanimate surfaces of a hospital respiratory-isolation facility, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mimiviruses have been considered putative emerging pneumonia agents. Pneumonia is a leading cause of death related to infection throughout the world, with approximately 40% of cases presenting unknown etiology. Therefore, identifying new causative agents of community and nosocomial pneumonia is of major public health concern.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the distribution of these viruses in samples collected from different environments of one of the largest hospitals in Brazilian Southeast.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed, by molecular and virological approaches, the distribution of mimivirus in 242 samples collected from inanimate surfaces in different hospital facilities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant positivity of mimivirus in respiratory-isolation-facilities was observed (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the role of mimivirus as etiological agents of pneumonia is still under investigation, our results demonstrates interesting correlations that strengthens the need for control over the occurrence of these viruses in hospital facilities.
authors: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Vírus, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors: Ludmila Karen
authors: LK
authors: dos Santos Silva
authors: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Vírus, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors: Thalita Souza
authors: TS
authors: Arantes
authors: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Vírus, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors: Kétyllen Reis
authors: KR
authors: Andrade
authors: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Vírus, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors: Rodrigo Araújo
authors: RA
authors: Lima Rodrigues
authors: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Vírus, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors: Paulo Victor
authors: PV
authors: Miranda Boratto
authors: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Vírus, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors: Gabriel Magno
authors: GM
authors: de Freitas Almeida
authors: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Vírus, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors: Erna Geessien
authors: EG
authors: Kroon
authors: Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
authors: Bernard
authors: B
authors: La Scola
authors: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Hospital das Clínicas, Comissão de Controle de Infecção Hospitalar, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors: Wanessa Trindade
authors: WT
authors: Clemente
authors: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Vírus, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address: jonatas.abrahao@gmail.com.
authors: Jônatas
authors: J
authors: Santos Abrahão
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D056686:Mimiviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques
keywords: Hospital environment; Mimivirus; Pneumonia