Avaliação da Contaminação Fúngica em Instrumentos de Banho e Tosa: Biossegurança dos Profissionais e Pets

Abstract

The present study identified fungi on pet grooming tools from two veterinary clinics ofTeresina city, Piauí and reflected about biosafety precautions adopted by animal bathing andgrooming professionals. The samples were collected from instruments used in bathing andgrooming of domestic animals: nail clipper, dematting comb, brush/comb, clipper blade,scissors, and tongs before and after disinfection process. The samples were cultured onSabouraud dextrose agar and BBLTM CHROMagarTM Candida for the growth of filamentousfungi and yeasts, respectively. The following species were identified: Candida albicans,Aspergillus nidulans, Paecilomyces lilacinus, Curvularia clavata and Cladosporiumcladosporioides. The concentration of fungal colonies on pet grooming tools before thedisinfection process ranged from 1 to 2 x 101 CFU/ml. After the disinfection no fungal specieswere isolated except C. albicans and A. nidulans. Therefore, veterinary establishments have amicrobiota that may be considered potentially pathogenic. Besides, the results call for theimportance of training for adequate hygienization of the instruments used in bathing andgrooming of domestic animals, workstation and personal hygiene.