Microbes on the Mobile Phones of Healthcare Workers in Palestine: Identification, Characterization, and Comparison

Background. Healthcare workers (HCWs) may be using their mobile phones (MPs) to carry microbes that cause hospital-acquired and community infections in general. With antibiotic resistance problem emergence, these infections can be challenging to eradicate. Hence, this study aimed to determine the microbial contamination of HCW MPs and identify and classify bacterial isolates in Palestine. Methods. This was a 7-month comparative cross-sectional analysis of 200 HCW MPs from 2 hospitals and 100 MPs from university students (non-HCWs). Data collection was done using a self-administrated questionnaire, and a swab sample from both HCW and non-HCW MPs was obtained and transferred to An-Najah National University (NNU) microbiology lab for bacterial identification and antibiotic susceptibility. Data were analyzed using Social Sciences Statistical Package (SPSS) version 22.0. Result. Among HCWs, the microbial contamination was 87.5%. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS; 67.3%), methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA; 17.5%), Gram-positive bacilli (4.1%), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA; 1.6%), and Gram-negative species (1.6%) were the most predominant bacterial isolates. More than half of staphylococci isolates were resistant to penicillin and erythromycin. Male gender, using a mobile phone in the bathroom, and entry to the operating theatre were associated with mobile phone contamination and increased resistance against specific antibiotics. Among non-HCWs, the contamination was 86%. The most predominant bacterial isolates were CoNS, MSSA, and Gram-positive bacilli, with a contamination of 66.8%, 28.5%, and 2.6%, respectively. No MRSA or Gram-negative species were detected in this group. Antibiotic resistance percentage of staphylococci was nearly half of that yielded in the HCW group against each antibiotic. Conclusion. Significant numbers of bacteria have been isolated from HCW MPs. Working in a hospital environment frequently raises the probability of presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria on a MP. Therefore, infection control teams should discuss methods to prevent the transmission of drug-resistant pathogens from HCW MPs.

Download Full-text

Pathogenic microbes contaminating mobile phones in hospital environment in Northeast India: incidence and antibiotic resistance

Tropical Medicine and Health ◽

10.1186/s41182-019-0190-5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 47 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Christine Vanlalbiakdiki Sailo ◽

Puja Pandey ◽

Subhajit Mukherjee ◽

Zothan Zami ◽

Ralte Lalremruata ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Mobile Phones ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Drug Susceptibility ◽

Cefuroxime Axetil ◽

Hospital Environment ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Care Workers ◽

Gram Negative Organisms

Abstract Background The present study attempts to identify and determine the pattern of drug susceptibility of the microorganisms present in mobile phones of health care workers (HCWs) and non-HCWs in a hospital environment. Mobile phones of 100 participants including both genders were randomly swabbed from nine different wards/units and the bacterial cultures were characterized using VITEK 2 system. Results Forty-seven mobile phones were culture positive and a total of 57 isolates were obtained which consisted of 28 Gram-positive organisms and 29 Gram-negative organisms. The predominating organisms were Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus hominis. Among all the isolates from the mobile phones of HCW and non-HCWs, five isolates had ESBL and three isolates had colistin resistance. Incidentally, MRSA was not found on the mobile phones tested. The isolated organisms showed 100% susceptibility to linezolid, daptomycin, vancomycin, imipenem, meropenem, gentamicin, amikacin, ciprofloxacin and tigecycline, while high resistance was shown against benzylpenicillin (75.0%), cefuroxime and cefuroxime axetil (56.5%). Non-HCWs’ mobile phones were more contaminated as compared to HCWs (P = 0.001) and irrespective of individuals’ gender or toilet habits, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms were present on the mobile phones. Conclusion This study reports for the first time that the mobile phones of non-health care workers harbour more bacterial diversity and are more prone to cause transmission of pathogens. This study can serve to educate the public on personal hand hygiene practices and on maintaining clean mobile phones through antiseptic measures.

Download Full-text

Aerobic Bacteriological and Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of Pus Isolates from A Tertiary Care Hospital, Puducherry

Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology ◽

10.22207/jpam.14.3.35 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 1961-1966

Author(s):

A. Deboral ◽

Namrata K. Bhosale ◽

S. Umadevi

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Antibiotic Susceptibility ◽

Tertiary Care Hospital ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Resistance Pattern ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Bacterial Isolates ◽

Gram Negative

The antibiotic resistance pattern was observed significantly in various geographical locations. Routine surveillance is therefore essential for constant monitoring of AMR rates in the clinically important pathogens. It is imperative to track the changing resistance pattern over time, to guide proper therapeutic strategies to combat infections due to drug-resistant pathogens. This study aims to highlights the distribution of aerobic bacterial isolated from pus samples, and their susceptibility to different antibiotics collected during 2017 (July to December) in a tertiary care hospital. Nearly 637 clinical pus samples were received during July to December 2017 to the Department of Microbiology, Tertiary care hospital, Puducherry. Bacterial identification was performed using standard conventional biochemical tests and antibiotic susceptibility was carried out according to CLSI guidelines 2017 on each one of the aerobic bacterial isolates from the pus samples. Among the isolates 76.5% were Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) as well as 23.5% were Gram-positive cocci (GPC). The most common bacteria isolated were Pseudomonas spp 24.88% (108 in 434), followed by Escherichia coli 21.66% (94 in 434), Staphylococcus aureus 19.82% (86 in 434) and Klebsiella pneumoniae 13.13% (57 in 434). Of the 86 (19.82%) Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 16 (18.40%) were MRSA. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was highly susceptible to the carbapenems and least susceptible to ciprofloxacin. Acinetobacter baumannii was the most resistant organism according to this study and showed the least susceptibility to ceftriaxone and maximum susceptibility to aminoglycosides. This study concluded that the Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate was found to be a predominant in our clinical pus samples. Gram negative bacteria are more commonly associated with the pyogenic lesion that Gram positive. A high level of an antibiotic resistance was observed in most of our bacterial isolates.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity of Three Quaternary Ammonium Disinfectants on Different Germs Isolated from the Hospital Environment

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2020/6509740 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Amal Ramzi ◽

Bouchra Oumokhtar ◽

Yassine Ez zoubi ◽

Touria Filali Mouatassem ◽

Moussa Benboubker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽

Antibacterial Activity ◽

Quaternary Ammonium ◽

Inhibitory Concentration ◽

Hospital Environment ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

E Coli

Background. The microbiological risk of the hospital environment, including inert surfaces, medical devices, and equipment, represents a real problem. Objective. This study is aimed at demonstrating and assessing the antibacterial activity of three synthetic disinfectants classified as quaternary ammoniums on different bacterial strains (Gram-negative and Gram-positive like Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Staphylococcus aureus) isolated from the hospital environment. The reference strains included Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 used as negative control strains. Method. Three quaternary ammonium disinfectants were tested: DDN9® (0.5%) which contains didecylmethylpolyoxyethylammonium propionate as an active substance, spray (0.4%) containing quaternary ammonium compounds, and Phagosurf ND® (0.4%) with didecyldimethylammonium chloride. Their effect was evaluated using the disk diffusion technique and the broth dilution methods, allowing the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and then the Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). Result. Only the growth of Gram-positive bacteria and some strains of Gram-negative bacteria were inhibited by the three synthetic disinfectants. NDD9® demonstrated an antibacterial effect only against the Gram-positive strains (S. aureus and S. aureus ATCC 29213) with a MIC of 0.25 mg/ml. The disinfectant spray showed effect against all four strains including E. coli (9), S. aureus, E. coli ATCC 25922, and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 with an inhibitory concentration of 4 mg/ml, while the growth of S. aureus ATCC 29213 was inhibited at 2 mg/ml. The third disinfectant, Phagosurf ND®, inhibited only the growth of S. aureus ATCC 29213 at a MIC of 4 mg/ml. Conclusion. This study is the first here in Morocco to evaluate the bacterial activity of products intended for the control of the healthcare environment. The results obtained on the three disinfectants tested reveal an ineffectiveness against some isolated strains from the hospital environment.

Download Full-text

High Levels of Antibiotic Resistance Patterns in Two Referral Hospitals during the Post-Ebola Era in Free-Town, Sierra Leone: 2017–2019

Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease ◽

10.3390/tropicalmed6020103 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 103

Author(s):

Zikan Koroma ◽

Francis Moses ◽

Alexandre Delamou ◽

Katrina Hann ◽

Engy Ali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Sierra Leone ◽

Routine Data ◽

Bacterial Isolates ◽

Sensitivity Testing ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Maternity Hospitals ◽

Referral Hospitals ◽

Resistance Patterns

The Post-Ebola era (2017–2019) presented an opportunity for laboratory investments in Sierra Leone. US CDC supported the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to establish a microbiological unit for routine antimicrobial sensitivity testing in two referral (pediatric and maternity) hospitals in Freetown. This study describes resistance patterns among patients’ laboratory samples from 2017 to 2019 using routine data. Samples included urine, stool, cerebrospinal fluid, pus-wound, pleural fluid, and high vaginal swabs. Selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. Of 200 samples received by the laboratory, 89 returned positive bacterial isolates with urine and pus-wound swabs accounting for 75% of positive isolates. The number of positive isolates increased annually from one in 2017 to 42 in 2018 and 46 in 2019. Resistance of the cultures to at least one antibiotic was high (91%), and even higher in the pediatric hospital (94%). Resistance was highest with penicillin (81%) for Gram-positive bacteria and lowest with nitrofurantoin (13%). Gram-negative bacteria were most resistant to ampicillin, gentamycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, cephalothin and penicillin (100%) and least resistant to novobiocin (0%). Antibiotic resistance for commonly prescribed antibiotics was high in two referral hospitals, highlighting the urgent need for antimicrobial stewardship and access to reserve antibiotics.

Download Full-text

Bacterial Isolates and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Wound Infections among Inpatients and Outpatients Attending the University of Gondar Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

International Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1155/2017/8953829 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Aynalem Mohammed ◽

Mengistu Endris Seid ◽

Teklay Gebrecherkos ◽

Moges Tiruneh ◽

Feleke Moges

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽

Bacterial Pathogens ◽

Referral Hospital ◽

Bacterial Isolates ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Microbiological Methods ◽

The University ◽

Susceptibility Patterns

Background.The widespread uses of antibiotics, together with the length of time over which they have been available, have led to the emergence of resistant bacterial pathogens contributing to morbidity and mortality. This study was aimed to assess bacterial isolates and their drug susceptibility patterns from inpatients and outpatients with pus and/or wound discharge.Methods.A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Gondar Referral Hospital from March to May, 2014. Wound swab samples were collected from each study participant and inoculated into appropriate media. The bacterial pathogens were identified using standard microbiological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed using disk diffusion technique following Kirby-Bauer method.Results.A total of 137 study subjects were included in the study with bacterial isolation rate of 115 (83.9%). Of all, 81 (59.1%) were males. Seventy-seven (57%) of the isolates were Gram-negative and 59 (43%) were Gram-positive. From the total isolates,Staphylococcus aureuswas the most predominant isolate 39/115 (34%) followed by Klebsiella species (13%), coagulase negative staphylococci spp. (12%) andPseudomonas aeruginosa. Gram-positive isolates were resistant to ampicillin (86.4%), amoxicillin (83%), penicillin (81.3%), oxacillin (74.6%), and tetracycline (59.4%), while Gram-negative isolates were resistant to amoxicillin (97.4%), ampicillin (94.8%), tetracycline (72.7%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (66%), and chloramphenicol (54.5%).Conclusion. High prevalence of bacterial isolates was found,Staphylococcus aureusbeing the most dominant. High rates of multiple drug resistance pathogens to the commonly used antimicrobial agents were isolated. Therefore, concerned bodies should properly monitor the choice of antibiotics to be used as prophylaxis and empiric treatment in the study area.

Download Full-text

Antibiotic resistance pattern of bacterial isolates retrieved from febrile neutropenic patients with hematological disorders

10.21203/rs.3.rs-24936/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Gayatri Prajapati ◽

Bishesh Sharma Poudyal ◽

Krishna Kumar Maharjan ◽

Sunita Prajapati ◽

Janak Raj Dhungana

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Effective Treatment ◽

Resistance Pattern ◽

Gram Negative Bacteria ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Hematological Disorders ◽

Gram Positive Bacteria ◽

Neutropenic Patients

Abstract Background Antibiotic resistance is nowadays becoming a threat in the treatment of immunosuppressed patients. The aim of this study was to find out the antibiotic resistance pattern of bacteria isolated from febrile neutropenic patients with hematological disorders so that it would help to select the empirical antibiotic for prompt effective treatment of the febrile neutropenic patients. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital of Nepal from October 2018 to November 2019. Blood was drawn aseptically in blood culture bottles. The bacteria were identified by standard microbiological methods with observation of colony morphology, gram staining and biochemical tests of bacteria. The antibiotic susceptibility tests were done by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method. Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) and Metallo Beta Lactamase (MBL) producers, and Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were detected by phenotypic methods. Results Of the total 214 blood samples, 33.9% (71) yielded the bacterial growth. Gram negative bacteria were isolated from 23.8% of total samples and Gram-positive bacteria were isolated from 9.3% of the total samples. The Gram negative bacteria isolated were Escherichia coli (7.9%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (4.7%), Citrobacter spp. (4.7%), Acinetobacter spp. (3.7%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.8%). The Gram-positive bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus aureus (5.6%), Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus (2.3%) and Enterococcus spp. (1.4%). About 66.7% of the total Gram-negative bacteria isolated and 50% of the total Gram-positive bacteria were MDR (Multidrug-resistant). About 19.6% of the total Gram-negative bacteria were ESBL producers and 19.6% of them were MBL producers. About 41.6% of Staphylococcus aureus isolated were MRSA (Methicillin Resistant S. aureus). In our institution, piperacillin-tazobactam is the preferred first choice empirical antibiotic. But 58.8% of the Gram negative organisms were found to be resistant towards piperacillin-tazobactam. Hence there is a prompt necessity to switch to another antibiotic with high sensitivity for effective treatment of the febrile neutropenic patients in our institution. Conclusion Antibiotic surveillance data should be evaluated periodically to select the empirical therapeutic antibiotic for effective treatment of febrile neutropenic patients.

Download Full-text

Microbial Incidence and Antibiotic susceptibility for Bacterial isolates in The Mobile Phone of Healthcare workers and University Employments in Basrah City

Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology ◽

10.22207/jpam.14.3.25 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 1863-1870

Author(s):

Rana Mohammad Abd-ulnabi ◽

Zuhair G. Alshaheen ◽

Rafeef A. Abdul-jabbar

Keyword(s):

Mobile Phone ◽

Mobile Phones ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Pathogenic Bacteria ◽

Bacterial Isolates ◽

Biochemical Tests ◽

Candida Spp ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Field Samples ◽

Bacillus Spp

The mobile phones come to be an important device all people use it for communication and phones can be contaminated with bacterial isolates. this study tries to do a little investigation about kinds and percent of pathogenic bacteria and the detection of some antibiotic resistance one and difference between that found in the healthcare worker’s mobile phone and peoples who work out of that field. Samples collection were done using mobile phones belongs to healthcare workers and Basra University employments. Swabs were cultured on different media then the suspected colonies were identified by recognizing the morphology of colonies, staining with Gram’s stain then tested with biochemical tests. Our study shows bacterial isolates in all the screened mobile phone, The highest proportions were recorded by Bacillus spp (66%) and Pseudomonas spp (56%) while the lowest proportions were Staphylococcus aureus (8%) and Candida spp (12%). And there was a significant difference in the kinds and percent of bacterial isolates between the healthcare workers and employments mobile phones, besides the appearance of Cefotaxime and Cefatizoxime resistance Proteus sp. and Trimethoprim + Sulfamethoxazole resistance Klebsiella spp. also the intermediate susceptibility to the different antibiotic was shown in all isolates. All the mobile phones can be contaminated by various kinds of bacteria some of these were resistant to some antibiotics and there was a significant difference in the percent and kinds of bacterial isolates between the health care worker and people who work out of this field.

Download Full-text

A one-year study of bacterial isolates causing Healthcare Acquired Infection (HAI) and their antibiotic resistance pattern at a private hospital in Egypt

The Gazette of Medical Sciences ◽

10.46766/thegms.microb.20122105 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (6) ◽

pp. 36-45

Author(s):

Rasha Mosbah ◽

Keyword(s):

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Private Hospital ◽

Bacterial Isolate ◽

Resistance Pattern ◽

Bacterial Isolates ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Antibiotic Resistance Pattern ◽

One Year

The present study included 210 inpatients, out of them 180 were diagnosed as suspected cases of sepsis in the period over 12 months from December 2018 to December 2019, at a private hospital in Cairo, Egypt. Out of 210 investigated cases 180 (85.7%) were infected. Single bacterial isolates were recovered from 120 cases (66.7%), while 60 (33.3%) cases were found to be carrying more than one bacterial isolate. The results of the current study revealed that 34.4% (62/180) of isolates were Gram-positive and 65.6% (118/180) were Gram-negative.

Download Full-text

Assessment of the Bacterial Pollution and Detection of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Benin: Case of the Hydrographic Channel Complex Cotonou-Nokoué Lake

Journal of Environmental and Public Health ◽

10.1155/2021/6664816 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Oloufemi Daniel Ichola ◽

Victorien Tamegnon Dougnon ◽

Charles Hornel Koudokpon ◽

Alidehou Jerrold Agbankpe ◽

Esther Deguenon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Resistance Genes ◽

Water Samples ◽

Bacterial Species ◽

Resistant Bacteria ◽

Biochemical Tests ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Gram Positive Cocci

The study aims to document the level of contamination of the aquatic ecosystem of the Cotonou-Lake Nokoué canal hydrographic complex by multidrug-resistant bacteria and their resistance genes. For this purpose, water samples were taken from several points of the complex and from the sediments at the depth of the lake. Samples of several species of freshly caught fish products from the lake were also collected. Bacteriological analyses were carried out according to the AFNOR standard (NF U: 47–100). The identification of the different bacterial species isolated was then carried out using the API 20E gallery and specific biochemical tests. The antibiogram of the strains was performed according to the recommendations of the EUCAST. Molecular characterization of the identified strains was carried out by searching for resistance and virulence genes. The results obtained revealed the presence of several bacterial species in water samples and in sediment and intestine samples of fishery products with a predominance of Gram-negative bacilli. The resistance profile of Gram-negative bacilli showed a total resistance to metronidazole (100%). 23% of the strains were also resistant to ciprofloxacin, 41% to amoxicillin, and 60% to aztreonam. Of the Gram-positive cocci identified, 66% was resistant to vancomycin, 7.5% to ciprofloxacin, 71% to erythromycin, and 22% to tetracycline. Regarding the genes sought, blaTEM (46%), blaSHV (24%), and blaCTX-M-15 (31%) were present in the genome of Gram-negative bacilli as resistance genes and fimH (41%) as virulence gene. As for Gram-positive cocci, the van B gene was completely absent. The van A was present at 6.25% in Staphylococcus aureus and mecA at 21.88 and 33.33%, respectively, in Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci strains. The high resistance of isolated bacterial strains is a matter of concern and calls for a rational use of antibiotics in order to avoid the transmission of antibiotic resistance from the environment to humans.

Download Full-text

Antibiotic Sensitivity Test on Staphylococcus Aureus Detected in Sputum of Patients with Pneumonia Treated in Hospitals

Journal of Agromedicine and Medical Sciences ◽

10.19184/ams.v5i1.9267 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 20

Author(s):

Dini Agustina ◽

Diana Chusna Mufida ◽

Hanifa Rizki A.S. ◽

Dion Krismashogi Dharmawan

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Antibiotic Sensitivity ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Mortality Incidence ◽

Antibiotic Sensitivity Test ◽

Pulmonary Parenchyma ◽

Identification Of Bacteria ◽

Positive Coccus

Pneumonia is a respiratory tract infection that attacks the pulmonary parenchyma. This disease can be caused by bacteria, one of which is Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics have an important role to play in reducing the morbidity and mortality incidence of pneumonia, but currently, the incidence of resistance antibiotics is increased. The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity of antibiotics Staphylococcus aureus in pneumatic sputum patients. The design of this study was observational descriptive, using sputum samples from pneumonia patients in Subandi and Paru Jember hospitals in November to December 2018. The identification of bacteria in sputum was continued by testing the sensitivity of bacteria to antibiotics. The antibiotics used in this study were chloramphenicol, gentamicin, amikacin, levofloxacin, ampicillin-sulbactam, cotrimoxazole, and ciprofloxacin — data obtained in the frequency distribution table. Of the ten sputum that was successfully cultured, four Gram-negative bacilli bacteria and six Gram-positive coccus bacteria were obtained. The results approved the six Gram-positive coccus bacteria, detected as Staphylococcus aureus. The antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to ampicillin-sulbactam was high. Keywords: antibiotic sensitivity, bacteria, pneumonia

Download Full-text