Prevalence and Antibacterial Susceptibility Pattern of Bacteria Contaminating the Wards and Operating Room of Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, Kenya

Abstract Background Nosocomial infections are of public health concern globally. These infections are frequently caused by microbes residing in the healthcare environment, including contaminated medical equipment, wards, and operating theaters. Objectives To determine the prevalence and susceptibility pattern of bacteria that contaminated the wards and operating rooms of Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital. MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was done from October - November 2018. Surface swabs taken from predefined areas within the wards and operating room were assessed for bacterial contamination. The samples were processed through gram reaction, culture, and an array of biochemical tests. Antibiotics susceptibility tests were done for each swab by the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion technique. Statistical work was done through a statistical package for the social sciences version 20. ResultsThe present work revealed an isolation rate of 64.7% (44/68) for culture-positive surface swabs while 35.3% (24/68) of the swabs failed to yield any organism. A total of 59 bacteria were isolated from the processed swabs. Of the isolates, gram-positive bacteria were more compared to gram-negative rods. Overall, Staphylococcus aureus 55.9% (n=33) was the prevalent bacteria followed by Bacillus species 30.5% (n=18), Citrobacter species 3.4% (n=2), Enterobacter species 3.4% (n=2), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 1.7% (n=1), Acinetobacter species 1.7% (n=1), Escherichia coli 1.7% (n=1) and Coagulase-negative staphylococcus 1.7% (n=1). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) accounted for 61.8% of all staphylococci species. The bacteria were resistant to Ampicillin/Cloxacillin at 96.6% (n=57/59). Conclusion The infection of hospitalized patients by resident flora of the hospital environment may worsen the clinical condition of the patient. Therefore, it's paramount for all facilities to ensure that they assess periodically their healthcare environments to identify potential bacterial pathogens of nosocomial significance.