Neotropical Entomology (2008) 37, 472-477

Marcos A. Pesquero, Jales Elias Filho, Lílian C. Carneiro, Sarah B. Feitosa, Marcos A.C. Oliveira and Rosângela C. Quintana (2008)
Formigas em ambiente hospitalar e seu potencial como transmissoras de bactérias
[Ants in a hospital environment and its importance as vector of bacteria]
Neotropical Entomology 37 (4), 472-477
Abstract: The external ant community of Hospital Municipal de Morrinhos, in Morrinhos, Goiás State, was characterized by the low rates of richness, diversity, dominance and equity of species abundance. Pheidole sp.1, a polygynic species was numerically dominant in this environment, although it coexists with potentially competitive species. This ant species prevailed within all hospital departments and its space-time distribution was a little aggregated (variance/mean ratio = 1.102, Chi² = 29.38, P < 0.01). Escherichia, Salmonella, Aeromonas, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus and Klebsiella were the bacteria associated to this ant species in nearly all hospital annexes. The unicolonialism of Pheidole sp.1 tends to increase the contamination and dissemination process of infecto-contagious agents. The control and management of this ant species must be followed by practices that reduce the colonization process by other queens and the quantity of site nidification within the hospital.
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(original language: Portuguese)
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Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Pheidole (genus)		Brazil (south)