Análise bacteriana de três linhas do transporte coletivo da cidade de Maringá, Paraná.

Abstract

Bacteria are generally associated as pathogens of various diseases, however there are microorganisms present in the human microbiota without causing pathogens, which can be transmitted by indirect contact and cause infections in humans. The objective of this research was to analyze the bacterial flora in vehicles of the public passenger transport system in the city of Maringá/PR through the identification of microorganisms found on city buses. Collections were obtained at four different locations (seats, handrails, descent alerts and turnstiles) for microbiological analysis, as they are more likely to be in contact with passengers and, consequently, more likely to be contaminated, on three lines of public transport in the city. The materials were collected with a sterile swab moistened with 0.9% NaCl, and incubated in a Stuart transport medium to perform bacterial identification. The samples were seeded on MacConkey agar, blood agar and salt mannitol culture media. Of the 33 samples obtained, all were positive for one or more microorganisms. The genus Staphylococcus non-aureaus and Staphylococcus aureus were the most frequently found, with 39.40% and 27.3%, respectively. The results showed the possibility of the public transport means being a way of transmission of microorganisms. Even though it does not contain data that prove that infections are caused by contamination through the use of these transports, it is important to implement basic hygiene measures to reduce contamination and reduce risks for the population.