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Contaminated airport door handles may fuel antimicrobial resistance internationally
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A recent study conducted by a team of traveling researchers showed that door handles in airport bathrooms were sometimes contaminated with drug-resistant bacteria. The research, published in Clinical Microbiology and Infection, demonstrates the role of international travel hubs in the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
During their travels, Frieder Schaumburg, MD, from University Hospital Münster, Germany, and colleagues swabbed 400 toilet door handles from 136 airports in 59 countries to assess the presence of pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). The researchers obtained most samples from men’s restrooms (60.5%), which were cultured about 7 days after collection.
They identified 22 S. aureus isolates, eight Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates and five Acinetobacter baumannii complex isolates. They did not detect other concerning pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, VRE and ESBL-E. Airports in Africa were more likely to harbor S. aureus (7.7%) than airports in South America (6.5%), Europe (5.5%), North America (4.7%) and Asia (4.6%).
According to the researchers, S. aureus isolates were resistant to penicillin (n = 9), erythromycin/clindamycin (n = 2) and levofloxacin (n = 1); five A. baumannii complex isolates were resistant to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole; and two S. melophilia isolates were resistant to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.
Researchers did detect one MRSA strain with resistance against aminoglycosides, quinolones, macrolides, clindamycin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in Paris. They noted that it is a rare and emerging community-associated strain from the Indian subcontinent.
“Although our finding suggests that the MRSA was imported to France from the Indian subcontinent, scientists, politicians, stakeholders and opinion-leaders should not play the blame game,” Schaumburg said in a press release. “Almost every geographic region has its problems with antimicrobial resistance, which are not limited to MRSA, but also includes [VRE], carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter or Enterobacteriaceae or so-called [ESBL] producers. These challenges are not restricted to industrialized regions. A joint strategy that brings together low-, middle- and high-income countries is probably the most important aspect in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.” – by Stephanie Viguers
Reference:
Schaumburg F, et al. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2016;doi:10.1016/j.cmi.2016.09.010.
Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.