Assessment of Bacterial Contamination on Fomites and Healthcare Workers and Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns of Bacterial Isolates in the Gynecology Ward of Abia State Tertiary Healthcare Facilities in Abia State

Abstract

Background: Bacterial contamination of the Gynecology ward is a public health concern because it is the primary cause of nosocomial infections in postpartum moms and one of the primary risk factors for sepsis in newborns.This study evaluated the bacterial contamination of fomites, nostrils, and palms of healthcare workers in the Gynecology ward.Methods: A total of 244 samples were collected and cultured on Blood, Mannitol salt, and MacConkey agar.Standard biochemical tests were carried out to characterize the organisms.Antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the isolates were carried out using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.Results: Out of the 244 samples, 95(38.93%)yielded bacterial growth.Of these, 75 isolates (40.76%) were isolated from fomites, while 20 (33.33%) were isolated from the palms of hands and nostrils of healthcare workers.The most common bacterial isolate was Staphylococcus aureus (46 isolates 48.42%), whereas the least common was Streptococcus spp.(1isolates 1.05%).The Gram-negative bacterial isolates were resistant to Ceftriaxone, Cefuroxime, Cotrimoxazole, and Ceftazidine.The Grampositive bacterial isolates were resistant to Ampicillin, Ciprofloxacin, Augmentin, Ceftazidine, and Cephalexin. Conclusion:This study revealed the presence of bacterial pathogens on fomites and within the nostrils of healthcare workers in the Gynecology ward, underscoring the necessity for regular monitoring of bacterial contamination in these environments.