Revista de Bacteriología y Parasitología

Abstracto

Bacterial Contamination of Hospital Surfaces According to Material Make, Last Time of Contact and Last Time of Cleaning/Disinfection

Saka KH, Akanbi II AA, Obasa TO, Raheem RA and Oshodi AJ

Hospital cleaning and disinfection is the hallmark of infection control, over the past decade substantial scientific evidences has accumulated indicating that contamination of environmental surfaces in hospital rooms play an important role in the transmission of several key healthcare-associated pathogens.

A cross-sectional study of indoor surfaces at paediatric wards of the university of Ilorin Teaching hospital (UITH) was carried out to determine the pattern of bacterial contamination of surfaces according to material make of surfaces, last time of contact and last time of cleaning and disinfection. Eight common surfaces (bed rails, bed lockers, radiant warmers, incubators, trolleys, medical tables, door handle and wash sinks) which patients, patients relative and healthcare provider often interact with within daily cleaning that were made from different materials (Aluminium, ceramic, plastic and wood) was sampled.

The pattern of contaminants according to the material make show a statistical significance with P-value=0.0044. S. aureus was the predominant contaminants on aluminium surfaces, Klebsiella pneumoniae and A. baumannii were found to be the major contaminant isolated from ceramic surfaces while A. baumannii was the predominant contaminant of wooden surfaces sampled. Pattern according to the last time of contact show a statistical significance with P-value=0.0043. surfaces occupied by patient`s was largely contaminated. Bacterial contamination pattern according to the time lapse of cleaning or disinfection: surfaces that had been cleaned for greater 4 h prior to sample collection were found to have been contaminated with 86.3% of the isolates. Surfaces that were cleaned or disinfected less than 2 h prior to sample collection remained largely uncontaminated. Enhanced cleaning, the use of no-touch methods for terminal room disinfection, and potentially the use of self-disinfecting surfaces may aid in reducing health care associated infections.