Evaluation of the role of soil as a reservoir and dissemination of pathogenic fungi in surrounding areas of the main hospitals in the city of São Paulo

• Grant number: 23/16522-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Arnaldo Lopes Colombo
• Grantee: Thaina Aparecida Decio Passos
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/10599-3 - The Antimicrobial Resistance Institute of São Paulo (The Aries Project), AP.CEPID

Abstract

Soil is a highly variable ecosystem, dependent on several factors, such as climatic seasonality, which allow its microbial diversification over time. This ecosystem is probably the largest reservoir of antimicrobial resistance genes and the source of its diversity, due to the enormous density of microbial species that reside there. The spread of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in the hospital environment also indirectly impacts the community, as patients colonized with multidrug-resistant strains are discharged from the hospital and can transmit these agents to their household contacts and/or contaminate the adjacent environment. Concerning fungi, the prevalence of azole-resistant A. fumigatus (ARAf) in samples collected in both urban, and rural soils has been observed. Moreover, the study indicated the presence of ARAf in potting soil samples from the hospital, which might pose a risk of causing ARAf infection in patients. Based on that, what would be the impact of hospitals on soil contamination by pathogenic fungi in areas surrounding the main hospitals in a large metropolis such as the city of São Paulo?