Abstract
Hospital infections (HI) are a serious public health problem in many countries. Several studies have identified strains correlating to surgical site infections, many with multi-resistance. The goals of this study was to quantify, to identify and to verify the resistance profile of microorganisms collected at two hospitals settings, and to alert health professionals how environmental contamination can influence hospital infection rates. For air sampling in operating rooms, intensive care unit and materials sterilization center, the impaction method (Spin Air, IUL®) and passive sedimentation were used. For the isolation of bacteria on surfaces and uniforms contact plates (RODAC®) were used. Identification of the microorganisms was performed using Vitek® 2 Systems. The antibiograms were conducted according to the disk diffusion method recommended by CLSI. The surgical center of hospital B presented more than 500 CFU/m3 in aerial microbial load. In the aerial microbiota of the sampled areas of both hospitals, M. luteus, S. haemolyticus and S. hominis spp hominis were the prevalent microorganisms, with a percentage greater than 30%. On the surfaces and uniforms there was a prevalence of M. luteus (40%) and S. hominis spp hominis (20%) among others, and some of the resistant strains were isolated from environments with microbial load within the recommended limits.
Highlights
IntroductionTo ensure a satisfactory internal air quality, the hospital environment must be constantly monitored in order to protect patients and workers from acquiring hospital infections and occupational diseases. (Birgand et al, 2015; Cabo Verde et al, 2015; Emuren, Ordinioha, 2016)The origin of microorganisms responsible for Hospital infections (HI) outbreaks may come from humans (Munoz-Price et al, 2012) (e.g.: hands and uniforms), system of climatization (Kumari et al, 1998), inefficient sterilization/cleaning some microorganisms found in the air, surfaces and uniforms of hospital environments are not considered pathogenic for healthy people, studies show that they are causing infections in people with compromised immune systems (Litvinov et al, 2015)
In surfaces and uniforms microbial load indices were greater than 5 colony forming units (CFU)/ cm2, reaching values of approximately 130 CFU/30 cm2 in a sector of Hospital B (Figure 2)
As there was no intensive care unit (ICU) in Hospital B, the collection procedure was performed in the post-surgical rest room (PSRR)
Summary
To ensure a satisfactory internal air quality, the hospital environment must be constantly monitored in order to protect patients and workers from acquiring hospital infections and occupational diseases. (Birgand et al, 2015; Cabo Verde et al, 2015; Emuren, Ordinioha, 2016)The origin of microorganisms responsible for HI outbreaks may come from humans (Munoz-Price et al, 2012) (e.g.: hands and uniforms), system of climatization (Kumari et al, 1998), inefficient sterilization/cleaning some microorganisms found in the air, surfaces and uniforms of hospital environments are not considered pathogenic for healthy people, studies show that they are causing infections in people with compromised immune systems (Litvinov et al, 2015). To ensure a satisfactory internal air quality, the hospital environment must be constantly monitored in order to protect patients and workers from acquiring hospital infections and occupational diseases. The origin of microorganisms responsible for HI outbreaks may come from humans (Munoz-Price et al, 2012) (e.g.: hands and uniforms), system of climatization (Kumari et al, 1998), inefficient sterilization/cleaning. Some microorganisms found in the air, surfaces and uniforms of hospital environments are not considered pathogenic for healthy people, studies show that they are causing infections in people with compromised immune systems (Litvinov et al, 2015). Hospital microorganisms are likely to be multidrug resistant (Cornejo-Juárez et al, 2015), which makes environmental monitoring an important tool to control and prevent nosocomial infection outbreaks, and reduce the rate of morbidity, mortality and costs.
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