Bacterial Contamination Of Door Handles Of Some Healthcare Facilities In Umuahia, Abia State

Abstract 

Nosocomial infections are of public health concern globally. Despite the use of a variety of method and techniques for cleaning and sterilization of environmental surfaces, they still play an important role in transmission of pathogens especially healthcare-associated pathogens including Methicillin Resistant Staphylococci (MRSA), Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE), and many others. In this study, 60 swab samples were collected from door handles from the six different hospitals (including wards, offices, and rest rooms). All samples were transported and processed within two hours of collection. The swabs were cultured on routine microbiological media and incubated for 24 hours before examination and bacterial identification. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolated bacteria was also performed according to standard guidelines. The results of this investigation has shown that most of the tested samples contained a variety of organisms like Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Streptococcus spp, klebsiella spp among others. These findings are of public health importance and should be considered by the hospital infection control committees in order to reduce the risks of spread of pathogens from doors handles in the hospitals.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover page ﾿  

Title page ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ ii

Dedication ﾿ iii

Acknowledgement ﾿ iv

Table of contents ﾿ v ﾿

List of tables ﾿ vi

Abstract ﾿ vii

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 ﾿ INTRODUCTION ﾿ 1

1.1 ﾿ Aims ﾿ 2

1.2 ﾿ Objectives ﾿ 2

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 ﾿ LITERATURE REVIEW ﾿ 3

2.1 ﾿ Definition of door handles ﾿ 3

2.1.1 ﾿ Brief history of door handles ﾿ 3

2.1.2 ﾿ Bacterial contamination ﾿ 4

2.2 ﾿ Healthcare facilities ﾿ 5

2.2.1 ﾿ Previous studies ﾿ 6

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 ﾿ MATERIALS AND METHODS ﾿ 12

3.1 ﾿ Study area ﾿ 12

3.2 ﾿ Sample collection ﾿ 12

3.3 ﾿ Media and materials used ﾿ 12

3.4 ﾿ Microbiological analysis ﾿ 13

3.4.1 ﾿ Inoculation of samples ﾿ 13

3.4.2 ﾿ Isolation and identification of bacterial isolates ﾿ 13

3.5 ﾿ Gram staining ﾿ 13

3.6 ﾿ Antimicrobial susceptibility test ﾿ 14

3.7 ﾿ Biochemical identification of the isolates ﾿ 15

3.7.1 ﾿ Catalase test ﾿ 15

3.7.2 ﾿ Coagulase test ﾿ 15

3.7.3 ﾿ Oxidase test ﾿ 15

3.7.4 ﾿ Indole test ﾿ 16

3.7.5 ﾿ Citrate utilization test ﾿ 16

3.7.6 ﾿ Urease test ﾿ 16

3.7.7 ﾿ MR/VP test ﾿ 16

3.7.8 ﾿ Triple sugar iron test ﾿ 17

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 ﾿ RESULTS ﾿ 18

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 ﾿ DISCUSSIONS  ﾿ 25

5.2 ﾿ CONCLUSION ﾿ 26 

5.3 ﾿ RECOMMENDATION ﾿ 26 

REFERENCES

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