Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Microbial contamination of the hospital environment plays an important role in the spread of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). This study was conducted to determine bacterial contamination, bacterial profiles, and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of bacterial isolates from environmental surfaces and medical equipment. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH) from June to September 2018. A total of 164 inanimate surfaces located at intensive care units (ICUs) and operation theaters (OTs) were swabbed. All isolates were identified by using routine bacterial culture, Gram staining, and a panel of biochemical tests. For each identified bacteria, antibiogram profiles were determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method according to the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). RESULTS: Out of the 164 swabbed samples, 141 (86%) were positive for bacterial growth. The predominant bacteria identified from OTs and ICUs were Staphylococci aureus (23% vs 11.5%), Acinetobacter baumannii (3.8% vs 17.5%) and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) (12.6% vs 2.7%) respectively. Linens were the most contaminated materials among items studied at the hospital (14.8%). Gram-positive bacteria (GPB) had significantly high resistance levels to penicillin (92.8%), cefoxitin (83.5%), and erythromycin (53.6%). On the other hand, Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) revealed the highest resistance levels to ampicillin (97.5%), ceftazidime (91.3%), ceftriaxone (91.3%), and aztreonam (90%). However, a low resistance level was recorded for amikacin (25%) followed by Ciprofloxacin (37.5%). Of the 63 S. aureus isolates, 54 (85.7%) were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). CONCLUSION: The inanimate surfaces and commonly touched medical equipment within OTs and ICUs are reservoirs of potentially pathogenic bacteria that could predispose critically ill patients to acquire HCAIs. The proportions of the antimicrobial resistance profile of the isolates are much higher from studied clean inanimate environments.