Preliminary microbiological environmental assessment of the Coro public prison due to its adaptation as a city conservatory

Abstract

Introduction: a microbiological evaluation was con-ducted in order to characterize and identify microor-ganisms  present  in  the  environment  of  which  was formerly the Coro prison, in the state of Falcón in Ve-nezuela, as part of the preliminary studies of restora-tion and adaptation processes of the building as a city conservatory. The building is located within the area declared by the UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage of Humanity (N°658) due to its historical value (AHV).

Methods: Thirty-one (31) samples were collect-ed from seven environments on the surface of the building at points of interest, with the presence of stains, humidity, discoloration on the floor and walls to a maximum height of 1.5 m as criteria. Samples were collected according to the NCCLS M40 standard system, cultured and then characterized.  The isolated strains were resuspended in solution using the McFar-land method and inoculated on cards for identifica-tion using the Vitek®-2 system.

Results:  five  microbial  species  -   Staphylococcus   intermedius (55 %); Rhizobium radiobacter (28 %); Aspergillus spp. (10 %); Staphylococcus  aureus (3 %) and Pseudomona putida (3 %) - were isolated and identified. The latter two were evaluated for susceptibility test to antibiotics.

Conclusions:  the  use  of  disinfectants  into  the building before its adaptation as a conservatory is su-ggested, given the findings of this study related with the presence of resistant bacteria to antibiotics, pre-viously associated with human diseases.