Isolation of Bacterial Contaminants from Operating Theatres in Khartoum

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to isolate and identify the most common bacterial contaminants in operating theatres in Khartoum State Hospitals during the period from January to April 2010. Briefly, one hundred samples (n=100) were collected from different sites of the operating theatres. The samples were collected from the major complex theatres at Khartoum North Teaching Hospital (KNTH) and Khartoum Teaching Hospital (KTH). By employing standard morphological and biochemical techniques, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were isolated and identified. The common bacterial contaminants isolated from operation theatres were Staphylococcus aureus (30.8 %) , Staphylococcus epidermidis (20.5%), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (5.1%), Escherichia coli (20.5%), Pseudomonsa aeruginosa (15.4%), Proteus mirabilis ( 5.1%) and Enterobacter cloacae( 2.6%). The highest contaminants were isolated from the beds (17.9%), followed by floors (15.4%), trollis (12.8%), shoes and air conditions (10.3%), suckers, focusing lamps and anaesthesia machines (7.7%), oxygen cylinders and air (5.1%). While all S. aureus isolated from KNTH (100%) were methicillin resistant, only (50%) were methicillin resistant in KTH. However, 50% of S. aureus isolated from KTH and KNTH were sensitive to erythromycin, gentamicin and co-amoxiclav. S. saprophyticus was resistant to ampicillin but sensitive to erythromycin, gentamicin and co-amoxiclav. Similarly, S. epidermidis was sensitive to gentamicin and co-amoxiclav; however E. cloacae was resistant to ampicillin, co-amoxiclav and sensitive to chloramphenicol. In KNTH P. mirabilis was sensitive to ampicillin, co-amoxiclav and resistant to chloramphenicol and gentamicin. In contrast, P. mirabilis isolated from KTH was resistant to ampicillin, co-amoxiclav and gentamicin, but sensitive to chloramphenicol. E. coli isolated from KTH was highly resistant to ampicillin and co-amoxiclav, and sensitive to gentamicin and chloramphenicol, while that isolated from KNTH, 83.3% were resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol and gentamicin, and 66.7% were sensitive to co-amoxiclav. While 100% of P. aeruginosa isolated from KNTH were resistant to chloramphenicol, 66.7% of them were resistant to ampicillin, gentamicin and co- amoxiclav. However, 100% of P. aeruginosa isolated from KTH were resistant to ampicillin and 66.7% of them were resistant to co-amoxiclav, but sensitive to gentamicin and chloramphenicol. In conclusion, isolation of different resistant bacterial isolates from different surgical sites in various hospitals is a living evidence that various serotypes of bacterial species are persistant contaminants of the operating theatres in Khartoum hospitals.