JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Bacterial contamination of intensive care unit (ICU) is one of the risk factors responsible for high incidence of nosocomial infection that can significantly increase the mortality among ICU patients

Objective:

This study investigate the bacterial contamination and pathogen isolates from ICU environment of Sana'a city hospitals

Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional study in Sana'a city hospitals during 5th to 15th December 2019 was conducted. All hospitals that frequently reported mortality among ICU patients were included. Sterile swab moistened in sterile normal saline were used for collecting samples. Seven ICU sites including; patient's bed, bedside table, masks of O2 supplying apparatus, intravenous stand (IV stand), knop door, wall and floor were targeted and two samples from each site were collected. The samples were transported to National Center of Public Health Laboratory for microbiological culture.

Results:

A total of 112 swabs were collected from ICU of eight hospitals. 87 (78%) yielded positive bacterial growth and 109 bacterial strains including 62% (68) gram-positive and 38% (41) gram-negative bacteria were isolated. Coagulase-negative staphylococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus cerus were predominate gram positive which accounted for 28% (30), 21% (23) and 10% (11) of bacterial isolates, respectively. Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas species and Acinetobacter were the gram-negative isolates accounted for 13% (14), 13% (14) and 12% (13) of all bacterial isolates, respectively. The common contaminated sites were patient's beds/bedside tables (40 strains, 37%), floors (24 strains, 22%), walls (15 strains, 14%) and masks of O2 supplying apparatus (12 strains, 11%). Knop door and IV stand were contaminated by (9 strains, 8%) of isolated bacteria

Conclusions:

The contamination of ICU environment was high and patient's surroundings were the most contaminated. Implementations of strict quality standards of hygienic manners and effective cleaning of inanimate surfaces by hospital's infection control units and periodic monitoring by health authority are highly recommend.