Epidemiological and microbiological characterization of clinical isolates recovered from patients with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) and from patients with COVID-19-associated bacterial Pneumonia admitted to the HUSF's ICUs

• Grant number: 21/10752-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: April 01, 2023
• End date: March 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Epidemiology
• Principal Investigator: Raquel Girardello
• Grantee: Raquel Girardello
• Host Institution: Universidade São Francisco (USF). Campus Bragança Paulista. Bragança Paulista , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alexandre Augusto Albigiante Palazzi ; Ana Cristina Gales ; Fernando Augusto de Lima Marson ; Leandro César Mendes ; Thaís Parisotto Ulmer ; Thiago Filiponi

Abstract

Respiratory pathogens are commonly not found in the oral microbiota of healthy people, but hospitalized patients are susceptible to colonization by bacteria that make up the oral biofilm, which may act to protect the microorganism against the antibiotics and antiseptic use, increasing its pathogenicity. The aspiration of microorganisms originating from the upper airways during sleep in patients using mechanical ventilation is common and a major factor that leads to high mortality rates. This study aims to analyze the local epidemiology and characterize the pathogens causing ventilator-associated pneumonia in intubated patients in the HUSF ICU. Analysis of medical records will be performed to assess VAP rates and pathogens recovered from these infections will be submitted to microbiological characterization through the analysis of antibiotic resistance mechanisms and production of virulence factors. Oral swab samples will be collected from PAV patients and Covid-19 patients to verify that the respiratory pathogen is also colonizing the oral cavity, and for oral microbiota quantification. After epidemiological and microbiological analysis, an oral hygiene and patient management protocol will be designed to be suggested for patients admitted to the HUSF's ICU. Thus, this study aims to reduce the mortality rates attributed to VAP in patients admitted to the HUSF's ICU. (AU)