Fungal carriage of hospital trapped cockroaches: A prospective study

Cockroaches are considered parasite carriers, and their nocturnal habits and regular contact with various environments make them ideal carriers of diverse fungal species. The aim of this study was to isolate superficial fungi carried by cockroaches trapped at our health care institution. A total of 100 cockroaches were captured from 6 wards of the hospital and were investigated for the presence of fungi on their external surface by using SDA medium. In this survey, 78% of the sampled cockroaches were contaminated with 96 fungi of medical importance, and the fungal prevalence was linked to some hospital areas, such as nephroplogy-haemodialysis p = 0,013 OR = 1367 IC95% (1199–1558), which could be explained by the presence of dialysis devices in which cockroaches can hide. Correlations were found between cockroach fungal contamination and the following variables: kitchen p = 0,026, OR = 1,349, IC95% (1190–1530); toilets p = 0,011, OR = 2,813, IC95% (0,868–9112); and patient rooms p = 0,01, OR = 3,621, IC95% (1322–9920), probably due to cockroaches searching for food among waste, garbage, skin flakes, and hair. The main fungi isolated were Rhizopus sp (21,9%), Candida non candida (16,7%), Aspergillus niger (15,6%), and Lichtheimia sp (12,5%). These results suggest that cockroaches act as carriers of several medically important fungi and could be involved in their transfer to hospital settings. There is a need for better control of these insects, especially in kitchens, bathrooms, and patient rooms.