SUMMARY

Purpose:

To determine the environmental microbialflora in ophthalmologic surgical centers, with air conditioners on and off.

Method:

Culture plates were located for an established time beside the field during surgery, in seven outpatient surgical centers and seven surgical hospitals in São Paulo City.

Results:

258 microorganism colonies were isolated, among them 228 bacterial colonies and 30 fungal colonies. Among the total bacterial colonies 78% coagulase-negative Gram-positive cocci (Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus) and 22% of other bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, diphtheroid bacilli and Bacillus sp) were found. Of the microorganisms wefound; 11.6% werefungi (Cladosporium sp, Penicillium sp, Microsporum sp, Fusarium sp, Candida sp, and others without fructification bodies). The amount of colonies obtained with the air conditioner off was smaller than that with the air conditioner on.

Conclusion:

The project points out the significance of a postoperative infection source arising from environmental contamination. The microbial flora found is very similar to that listed in the literature.

Keywords:
Environmental microbiology; Contamination in surgical centers