EVALUATION OF SOURCES OF POLLUTION IN HEALTH CARE UNITS

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Cairo Scan

2 Institute of Environmental Studies and Research, Ain Shams University

3 Ghamra Military Hospital

Abstract

Active surveillance cultures (ASCs) are universal or targeted microbiological screening cultures for patients admitted to a hospital. Healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) are a major health problem worldwide. Inanimate surfaces and equipment contamination may play a role in cross-transmission of pathogens and subsequent patient colonization or infection. Bacteria contaminate inanimate surfaces and equipment of the patient zone and healthcare area, generating a reservoir of potential pathogens, including multidrug resistant species. Traditional terminal cleaning methods have limitations. Indeed patients who receive a bed from prior patient carrying bacteria are exposed to an increased risk of being colonized and potentially infected by the same bacterial species of the previous patient., even on dry surfaces, may play a role in reducing the efficacy of terminal cleaning procedures since it enables bacteria to survive in the environment for a long period and provides increased resistance to commonly used disinfectants. This study aimed to: explore prevalence of bacteria in different isolated samples from various departments. To identify the risk factors associated with gram negative bacilli and gram positive gram positive cocci colonization in both patients and healthcare personnel (HCP). And to assess the association between surface contamination, HCP colonization and patients colonization. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the year 2017 in the period between one April and 31 September, on 66 healthcare personnel (HCP) and 460 patients within 24 hours of admission, age ranged from one day to 85 years old, 1270 surveillance cultures (SC) were received at the microbiology department at a hospital in Cairo. The response rates of this study were 77.5% of patients and 50 % of HCP.
The HCP and patients swabs' results showed that the two most infectious departments were Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) followed by Neonate Intensive Care Unit then the least infectious department compared to the previous departments was Surgery departments. The results of environmental swabs showed that 70% of gram positive bacteria including Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) were monitored on Surgery department beds. The prevalence of gram negative bacilliand gram positive coccicarriage is (53.7% of patients and HCP). Monitoring and eradication ofMRSA and Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria from patients and HCP should be considered to prevent continuous spread between healthcare facilities and the community.
 

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Journal of Environmental Science
Volume 49, Issue 8 - Serial Number 8
Part. 1 basic science
August 2020
Pages 143-170

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