BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS ACCESSORIES: A POTENTIAL RISK TO PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AND NURSERY PATIENTS

LAVANYA JAGDISH¹*, MANOJ JAIS², VIRENDRA KUMAR³, RAVI KUMAR GUPTA^4
1Department of Microbiology, Subbaiah Institute of Medical Sciences, Shimoga
²Department of Microbiology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi
³Department of Paediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi
⁴Central Research Institute, Kasauli
* Corresponding Author : josh.johar@yahoo.com

Received : 07-12-2015     Accepted : 29-12-2015     Published : 28-01-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 1       Pages : 717 - 719
Int J Microbiol Res 8.1 (2016):717-719

Keywords : Health care associated infection, Accessories, Health care workers, ICU
Academic Editor : Ranjana Hawaldar, Joaquim Ruiz, Dias Meena, Ameer Khusro, Prof Dr Claus-thomas Bock, Chunyue Zhu, Rebekka Kohlmann, Maciej Cedzynski, Dr Mudit Chandra, Doijad Swapnil, Catalina-suzana Stingu, Binal Vaghani
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : We are indebted to the participants who permitted us in using their accessories for our study and also department staff for the laboratory workup
Author Contribution : None declared

Aim: Infections associated with health care are a significant matter of concern due to significantly high morbidity, mortality & cost particularly in ICU setting. Health care workers play an important role in the transmission of hospital acquired infections as they interact and provide essential services to the patients. In the present study, a prospective observational study was undertaken with an aim to review the micro flora associated with the accessories such as stethoscopes, pens, mobile phones and rings of doctors and nursing staff working in paediatric intensive care unit and nursery. Methodology: Standard microbiological procedures were followed for isolation, culture and antimicrobial assay's. Results: 56% of mobile phones, 52% of the stethoscopes, 40% of finger rings, and 28% of the pens used by healthcare workers showed growth of various microorganisms. Predominant pathogens isolated were coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp. (70.46%), Staphylococcus aureus (13.69%) and Acinetobacter spp. (11.64%). Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was also observed (30%). Conclusion: The results emphasize for improvement in the compliance to hand hygiene and disinfection practices along with accessories in order to reduce the rate of cross infection between patients and health care workers.