Inanimate Surfaces and Air Contamination with Multidrug Resistant Species of in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Environment.

BACKGROUND

Contamination of the hospital environment with multi-resistant (MDR) increases the risk of infection. The aim of this study is to identify the MDR species of on inanimate surfaces, in air, and in clinical samples, and analyze the risk factors that correlate with the occurrence of infections in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

METHODS

Samples of inanimate surfaces and air were taken using a premoistened swab (0.9% sodium chloride) and spontaneous air sedimentation, respectively. The clinical isolates were recovered from infected neonates. The isolates (environmental and clinical) were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight and the resistance profile was calculated using the disk diffusion agar technique.

RESULTS

In total, 181 isolates were obtained, 93 from (surfaces), 18 from the air, and 70 clinical samples. was the most frequent species (66.8%), and the failure rate in air cleaning was 100%. More than 60% of the isolates were MDR, and the majority of clinical isolates (60.4%) had a resistance profile identical to that of the environmental isolates.

CONCLUSION

spp. were found in most of the analyzed samples, with a high frequency of MDR isolates, demonstrating the importance of the hospital environment as a reservoir, and the need for infection control measures, and rational use of antimicrobials.