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Background: Contamination of medical equipment and the surface environment with bacteria
could be the main source of infection in hospital settings. The identification of the main sources
of contamination is necessary to overcome this major public health problem, especially in
intensive care units and paediatric wards where patients are more susceptible to nosocomial
pathogens. Contamination of medical equipment and the surface environment with bacteria could
be the main source of infection in high-risk units and wards in hospitals.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine bacterial contamination rate of medical
equipment, inanimate surfaces, and indoor air and their drug susceptibility pattern in neonatal
intensive care unit and pediatric ward at Hawassa Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Hawassa
city, Southern Ethiopia.
Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study with a convenient sampling
technique was carried out from 20th October to 30th December, 2020. Samples were collected
from medical equipment, inanimate surfaces, and indoor air in neonatal intensive care unit and
paediatric ward using aseptic technique. Settle plate method was used to collect indoor air
samples. Sample processing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were done using standard
microbiological methods. Data entry and analysis were carried out using SPSS software version
25.0.
Results: A total of 229 samples were collected; 56 from medical equipment, 61from inanimate
surfaces, and 112 from indoor air. Of the total samples collected 171(74.7%) were culture
positive. Thirty-three (58.9%), 26(42.6%), 112(100%) of medical equipment, inanimate surfaces,
and indoor air were culture positive respectively. A total of 284 bacteria were identified, out of
which 139(48.9%) were Gram-negative and 145(51.1%) Gram-positive. Micrococcus species
(41.3%), Acinetobactorer species(13.7%) and by K. pneumoniae(10.2%) were the most
commonly isolated bacteria. K. pneumonia were resistant to all antibiotics tested and all S.
epidermidus were resistant to 7 antibiotics. Multi-drug resistance was observed in 21.4% of
bacteria isolated. Conclusions and Recommendations: In this study, high level of bacterial contamination rate of
equipment, inanimate surfaces, and indoor air of neonatal intensive care units and the pediatric
wards was found. Multi-drug resistance was detected among most Gram-negative bacteria.
Supervision and monitoring of medical equipment, inanimate surfaces, and indoor air at Hawassa
University, Comprhensive Specilized Hospital is needed to reduce nosocomial infection. |
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