MICROBIAL LOAD OF HOSPITAL BEDS, INSTRUMENTS, LABORATORY BENCHES AND LABOUR ROOM IN IJEBU-NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Hospital is a place where ill patient are supposed to be safe for proper caring but in the other case, hospital environment has been a reservoir of wide varieties of microorganisms due to some unhygienic attitude of staff and patient. Several strains of pathogenic bacteria have been frequently reported colonizing medical equipments. This study was carried out to determine microbial load of hospital beds, instruments, laboratory benches and labour room in Ijebu-North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. A total number of 50 swab samples from foams ofhospital beds (15swabsamples), Laboratory work-benches (5 swab samples) andhospital equipments(30 swab samples) were collected for their microbial loads. The new swab sticks were cultured on Nutrient agar, MacConkey and Sabouroid Dextrose Agar, plates using standard microbiological techniques. The bacteria isolates from the study were examined and characterized using standard biochemical methods. One hundred and four bacterial isolates and sixty three fungal were recovered from this study. The bacteria includes;Staphylococcus aureus 22 (21.4%), Staphylococcusepidermidis9(8.8%),Sterptococcuspneumoniae 10 (9.7%), Pseudomonasaeruginosa 26 (25.2%),Klebsielliapneumoniae16 (15.5%) and Escherichia coli20 (19.4%). The fungi isolatedincludes; Candida albicans 25 (39.7%), Aspergillusniger 16(25.4%), Penicillium spp.12 (19%),Aspergillusfumigatus 6 (9.5%) andAspergillusflavus 4(6.4%). The number and percentage of occurrence of bacterial organisms isolated from hospital equipments (Scissors, Baby Weighing Scale, trolleys, Thermometer, Autoclaves etc.) were:Staphylococcus aureus8(18.6%), Staphylococcus epidermidis4(9.3%), Streptococcus pneumonia 5(11.6%), Psuedomonasaerugiona14(32.6%), Klebsiellapneumoniae4(9.3%) and Escherichia coli 8(18.6%). The total number and percentage of occurrence of fungal in the hospital equipments were: Aspergillusniger9(28.1%),Aspergillusflavus3(9.4%),Penicillium spp. 5(15.6%), Candida spp., 13(40.6%),Aspergillusfumigatus2(6.3%).The total number and percentage of occurrence of bacterial in hospital foams/beds wereStaphylococcus aureus6(25%), Staphylococcus epidermidis2(8.4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa5(20.8%),Klebsiellapneumoniae5(20.8%), Escherichia coli 6(25%). From the foams/beds, the total numbers and percentage of occurrence of fungi wereAspergillusniger3(21.4%),Aspergillusflavus1(7.1%),Penicilliumspp. 3(21.4%), Candida spp. 5(35.7%),Aspegillusfumigatus2(14.3%). From the Laboratory work benches: the number and percentage of occurrence of bacterial organisms were Staphylococcus aureus8(21.6%), Staphylococcus epidermis 3(8.1%), Streptococcus pneumoniae5(13.6%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa7(18.9%),Klebsiella pneumonia 8(21.6%), Escherichia coli 6(16.2%).The total numbers and percentage of occurrence of fungi wereAspergillusniger4(23.5%), Aspergilusflavus1(5.9%), Penicilliumspp. 4(23.5%), Candida spp. 7(41.3%),Aspegillusfumigatus1(5.9%). The results of the hospital equipments, beds and laboratory work bench samples, demonstrated that the hospital environment is a potential reservoir of pathogenic bacterial and fungal. Government should enlighten hospital management and patient on proper way of handling hospital equipment and disinfection of reusable equipment in the hospital. Hospital management should take care of their equipment and be watchful on patients in order to reduce the spread of bacterial and fungal in the hospital.

Keywords: Microbial load, Hospital equipments, Laboratory benches, Hospital management.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

1.2       Objectives

1.3       Justification

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1       Existing Standards for Assessing Hospital Hygiene

2.1.1    The Spaulding classification

2.1.2    The Current Standard for Surface Hygiene

2.1.3    Hygiene Indicator Choice

2.2       Quantitative standards proposed for hospital use

2.2.1    Bioluminescence and ATP

2.3       Effectiveness of hospital cleaning

2.3.1    Importance of defined cleaning schedule

2.3.2    Importance of the validation of cleaning methodology

2.3.3    Importance of surfaces in cross contamination

2.4       Risk analysis and assessment

2.4.1    Exposure Assessment and Risk Characterisation

CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS

• Study Area
• Sample Size
• Materials and Media Used

3.3.1    Instrument and glass wares

• Media Used
• Method of Sterilization

3.4       Culture Method

3.4.1    Sample Collection

3.4.2    Isolation and Purification of Bacteria and Fungi

3.5       Biochemical Methods of Identification of Bacterial Isolates

3.5.1    Characterization of Bacterial Isolate

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS

4.0       Results

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1       Discussion

5.2       Conclusion

5.3       Recommendations

References

Appendix

LIST OF TABLES

4.1       Sample distribution/collection

4.2       Bacterial and Fungal isolates from Hospital Equipments (Scissors, baby weighing

scale, Trolleys, Thermometer, Autoclaves etc.)

4.3       Bacterial and Fungal isolates from Hospital foams/beds

4.4       Bacterial and Fungal isolates from Laboratory work benches

4.5       Total Bacterial and Fungal isolates from the study

4.6       Morphological and Biochemical characteristics of isolates

LIST OF FIGURES

4.1       Bar chart showing the distribution of bacteria from Hospital items sampled

4.2       Bar chart showing the distribution of fungi from Hospital items sampled