Caractérisation bactériologique et parasitologique et résistance aux antibiotiques des germes transportés par les blattes : étude aux Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa et dans les environs

Abstract

Context and objective. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a major public health concern in Africa, and cockroaches are increasingly recognized as potential mechanical carriers of pathogenic microorganisms. However, data from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are scarce. The present study aimed to investigate bacteria and parasites carried by cockroaches and to assess the antibiotic susceptibility of isolated bacteria. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2018 to January 2019. Cockroaches were collected from hospital rooms at the Kinshasa University Hospital (KUH) and households in Mbanza-Lemba. Species identification was performed morphologically, and bacteriological and parasitological analyses were done using standard methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method. Results. Eighty-seven cockroaches were captured, 42 (48.3%) at the CUK and 45 (51.7%) in Mbanza-Lemba. Blattella germanica was the most common species at both sites (61.9% at CUK; 66.7% at Mbanza-Lemba), followed by Supella longipalpa and Periplaneta americana. Nearly all cockroaches (97.7%) carried microorganisms. Ten bacterial species were identified; Citrobacter freundii was the most frequent at CUK (69.6% of isolates), while Bacillus subtilis predominated in Mbanza-Lemba (91.7%). Parasites were detected in 24.1% of specimens, mainly Ascaris lumbricoides (9.2%), Ancylostoma duodenalis (9.2%), Trichostrongylus spp. (4.6%), and Trichuris trichiura (1.2%). High levels of multidrug resistance were observed, particularly against β-lactams and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, although ciprofloxacin and amikacin retained partial activity. Conclusion. Cockroaches are important reservoirs of bacteria and intestinal parasites in both hospital and community environments in Kinshasa. Their presence in hospitals represents a potential risk for HAIs and antimicrobial resistance dissemination. Integrating cockroach control into infection prevention strategies, alongside improved sanitation and antimicrobial stewardship, is essential. Keywords: ,,, , , Received: May 28th, 2024 Accepted: October 13th, 2025 https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/aamed.v19i1.5