Bacterial flora on hands of nursing staff as a source of health care associated infections at a tertiary care centre

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Author Details : Vedavati B. I*, Halesh L. H

Volume : 6, Issue : 1, Year : 2019

Article Page : 30-34

https://doi.org/10.18231/2394-5478.2019.0007

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Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare associated infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. Bacterial flora on hands of nursing staff act as a potential source for health care associated infections. Study of bacterial flora on hands of HCWs and knowing the importance of hand hygiene will play important role in preventing health care associated infections. Present study was undertaken to isolate aerobic bacterial flora on the hands of nursing staff, to study the antibiogram of isolates and to create awareness among the health care provider regarding hand hygiene.
Materials and Methods: Present study was done over a period of three months. After obtaining informed consent, swabs collected from the hands of nurses working in critical areas of hospital and subjected to bacterial culture. Organisms were identified by standard conventional methods. The antibiotic sensitivity testing of the isolates was done by Kirby Bauer’s Disk Diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines.
Result: Of 100 samples studied, 73(73%) samples showed the growth. Among them 36(49.31%) samples grown pathogenic bacteria, 27(36.98%) samples grown pathogenic bacteria along with probable contaminant non-pathogenic bacteria, 10(13.68%) samples showed only contaminant non-pathogenic bacteria. Among 63 pathogenic bacteria Gram positive bacteria predominate over Gram negative bacteria. Gram positive isolates were Staphylococcus aureus 20(31.7%), CONS 27(42.8%) and Gram negative isolates Klebsiella spp. 6(9.5%) followed by Pseudomonas spp. 4(6.3%) were predominated. Among Staphylococcus aureus 10(50%) isolates were found to be Methicillin resistant.
Conclusion: Awareness should be created among HCWs about significance of hand hygiene to prevent HCAIs.

Keywords: Bacterial flora, Hand hygiene, Healthcare associated infections, Healthcare worker, Pathogenic bacteria.

How to cite : Vedavati B. I, Halesh L. H, Bacterial flora on hands of nursing staff as a source of health care associated infections at a tertiary care centre. Indian J Microbiol Res 2019;6(1):30-34

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