Ten Thousand-Fold Higher than Acceptable Bacterial Loads Detected in Kenyan Hospital Environments: Targeted Approaches to Reduce Contamination Levels.

ABSTRACT: Microbial monitoring of hospital surfaces can help identify target areas for improved infection prevention and control (IPCs). This study aimed to determine the levels and variations in the bacterial contamination of high-touch surfaces in five Kenyan hospitals and identify the contributing modifiable risk factors. A total of 559 high-touch surfaces in four departments identified as high risk of hospital-acquired infections were sampled and examined for bacterial levels of contamination using standard bacteriological culture methods. Bacteria were detected in 536/559 (95.9%) surfaces. The median bacterial load on all sampled surfaces was 6.0 × 104 CFU/cm2 (interquartile range (IQR); 8.0 × 103-1.0 × 106). Only 55/559 (9.8%) of the sampled surfaces had acceptable bacterial loads, <5 CFU/cm².

SUBMITTER: Odoyo E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8297338 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature