Microbial contamination of main contact surfaces of Automated Teller Machines from Metropolitan Area of Porto

Automated Teller Machines (ATM) are likely to be contaminated with various microorganisms because of their contact with the hands of many users daily. The main objective of this study was to investigate ATMs as a potential source of bacterial contamination. This study was conducted in the Metropolit...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental studies 2020-03, Vol.77 (2), p.208-221
Main Authors: Barbosa, Joana Inês Bastos, Da Conceição Pereira Albano, Helena, Silva, Fabiana Ferreira, Teixeira, Paula Cristina Maia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibiotic resistance
Antibiotics
ATM
Automated teller machines
Automation
Bacteria
Biochemical characteristics
Biochemistry
Contamination
Enterobacteriaceae
Environmental science
Environmental studies
Metropolitan areas
Microbial contamination
Microorganisms
Physical characteristics
Selective media
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Automated Teller Machines (ATM) are likely to be contaminated with various microorganisms because of their contact with the hands of many users daily. The main objective of this study was to investigate ATMs as a potential source of bacterial contamination. This study was conducted in the Metropolitan Area of Porto, in which 50 swab samples were cultured on selective media. Some isolates were identified based on colonial, morphological and biochemical characteristics. Susceptibility to several antibiotics was also evaluated for each isolated organism. Most contaminated ATMs had high numbers of Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococci. Staphylococci and Enterobacteriaceae were the most prevalent bacteria found. The recovered bacterial isolates varied in their antibiotic resistance pattern; Staphylococcus spp. demonstrated the most resistant profiles. With this pioneering study in Portugal, it was demonstrated that although ATMs in metropolitan area of Porto were not highly contaminated, some potentially pathogenic bacteria were present and resistant to some commonly used antibiotics.
ISSN:0020-7233
1029-0400
DOI:10.1080/00207233.2019.1674584