title: Survival of vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus on hospital surfaces.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Contaminated surfaces play an important role in the transmission of certain pathogens that are responsible for healthcare-associated infections. Although previous studies have shown that meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can survive on dry surfaces at room temperature, no published data regarding vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) are available to date.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the survival time on different types of surfaces, cell-surface hydrophobicity, adherence to abiotic surfaces and biofilm formation of meticillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), MRSA and VISA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survival of the S. aureus strains was tested on latex, cotton fabric, vinyl flooring and formica. Cell-surface hydrophobicity was determined using the hydrocarbon interaction affinity method. Adhesion to abiotic surfaces was tested on granite, latex (gloves), glass, vinyl flooring and formica. Biofilm formation was evaluated at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All of the samples survived on the vinyl flooring and formica for at least 40 days. VISA survived on both surfaces for more than 45 days. All of the strains were highly hydrophobic. VISA adhered to latex, vinyl flooring and formica. Biofilm formation increased for all of the tested strains within 6-24 h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VISA present high survival, adherence and cell-surface hydrophobicity. Therefore, as the treatment of patients with VISA is a significant challenge for clinicians, greater care with cleaning and disinfection of different types of surfaces in healthcare facilities is recommended because these may become important reservoirs of multi-resistant pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, PR, Brazil; Hospital Universitário de Maringá, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Zarpellon
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gales
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Selhorst
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Menegucci
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: mcbtognim@uem.br.
authors.forename: M C B
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Tognim
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital / Q000382:microbiology*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013534:Survival; D014640:Vancomycin; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C425726:Bap protein, Staphylococcus aureus; D014640:Vancomycin
keywords: Adherence; Biofilm; Hydrophobicity; Staphylococcus aureus; Survival; Vancomycin