Molecular investigation of a furunculosis outbreak at a penitentiary in southern Brazil
Mayara Rodrigues Bicca1, Eduarda de Oliveira Pinto1, Walter Paixão de Sousa Filho2
1MSc Program on Health and Life Sciences, Molecular Microbiology Research Laboratory (LaPeMM), Universidade Franciscana - UFN, Andradas Street 1614, 97010-032, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
Background:
The overcrowding of prison cells, combined with precarious and unsanitary conditions, is a critical factor for the health of inmates. This study carried out phenotypic and molecular characterization of the pathogen responsible for an outbreak of furunculosis in a penitentiary in southern Brazil.
Methods:
Samples were collected using sterile swabs from the furuncles, then subjected to biochemical identification, disk diffusion, and RAPD-PCR.
Results:
Biochemical tests identified Staphylococcus aureus as the etiological agent of this skin infection, while the RAPD-PCR technique revealed a common genetic profile among the affected individuals. All strains analyzed showed susceptibility to most of the antimicrobials evaluated, except penicillin.
Conclusions:
These findings highlight the need for investment in prison facilities, efficient disinfection protocols, continuous monitoring, and equitable health treatment for growing inmates in Brazil's prison complex.
