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.

Aim: Malaria, Enteric fever, Dengue and Rickettsial diseases are major diseases, still prevalent in most of the countries including India. Number of studies on contribution of these diseases in an acute febrile illness is less in this region. Hence, study was conducted to know prevalence of these diseases in Shimoga, Karnataka, India. Methodology: Data was collected from Microbiology Laboratory registers retrospectively for one year from October 2014 to September 2015. Samples from patients of all age group and from both Out Patient Department (OPD) and In Patient Department (IPD) who presented with fever, and were clinically suspected to have dengue, malaria, enteric fever or rickettsial diseases were included in this study. Other febrile patients were excluded. Serological tests for dengue, typhoid and rickettsial diseases was performed by following the manufacturer’s instructions and for malaria, examination of thick and thin peripheral blood smear was done. Analysis was done using MS Excel 2010. Results: Among 554 febrile patients, rickettsial diseases was detected in 140(25.3%), enteric fever in 84(15.1%), dengue in 18(3.3%) and malaria in 06(1%) cases. Mixed infection was noted in 18(3.2%). Conclusion: Prevalence of rickettsial diseases 140(25.3%) is significantly high, especially in children’s followed by enteric fever 84(15.1%). Simple serological tests and peripheral blood smear for malaria are useful in diagnosis of fever cases.