Pattern of Bacterial Flora in Various out Patient Departments of TUTH

Abstract

A cross sectional study wasconducted during April to July 2005 with the aim to access thepattern of bacterial flora prevailing in air and various inanimate samples of 10 out patientdepartments of TUTH. Culture, microscopy and antibiotic susceptibility testing ofpotentially pathogenic isolates were done. Altogether281 samples collected from new andused bed sheets, health care personnel’s apron, air and equipments used for treatment ofpatients. In 56 samples of new bed sheetsand 64 samples of used bed sheets, the most predominantorganisms were Coagulase negative Staphylococci (94.6%) andStaphylococcus aureus(96.8%) respectively. Out of 76 apron samples collected from health care personnel, themost predominant organism was CoNS(98.6%). Among 10 air samples collected by gravity settling method for 5 minutes,air was found toharbor predominantly Gram positive microorganisms (CoNS, S. aureus, Bacillus spp.,Micrococci) in comparison to relatively fewer Gram negative microorganisms. In 23 samples collected from Dental department, CoNS was the most predominantorganism. Similarly, in 15 sterilized samples collected from endoscopy department, CoNSand non haemolyticBacillusspp.were present in 4 samples each,S. aureus in 3 samples,haemolytic Bacillus spp. and Acinetobacter spp. in 1 sample each. Likewise, in 12sterilized samples collected from ENT department, CoNS was present in 6 samples, S.aureuswas present in 5 samples. HaemolyticBacillusspp., non haemolyticBacillusspp.andMicrococcusspp.in 3 samples each. AndPseudomonasspp.was present in 2 samples.In 17 samples collected from general surgery department, the predominant organisms wereS. aureusand CoNS. Similarly, among the 9 sterilized speculum samples collected fromgynaecology department, CoNS was present in 7 samples and S. aureuswas present in 2samples.Similarly haemolytic and non-haemolyticBacillusspp.in 4 samples each. Antibiotic susceptibility tests of 207 S. aureus isolates showed that Cephalexin was themost effective drug and least effective was Ampicillin Similarly, for 45 isolates ofAcinetobacter spp., Gentamicin was found to be the most effective drug and the leasteffective was Ciprofloxacin. Since infectionstransmitted in outpatient settings are not systematically monitored like ininpatient departments, this study supports that outpatient facilities should be considered asthe part of the inpatient facilities of the hospital so far as infection control activities areconcerned. Thus thestudy provides a good basis for further detailedstudies of this kind ona regular basis as a part of hospital acquired infection control program.