Microbial contamination of mobile phones of health care providers at a teaching hospital in a hilly North Indian State

Mobile phone is a ubiquitous device used in health care settings as well. Its frequent handling, closeness to the body and heat generated during functioning provides a favourable environment for microbial contamination and growth; as well as opportunities for their transfer from one person to another through health care provider. Objective: To investigate whether health care workers mobile phones carry microbes and to identify areas or health personals where this was more common. Material and methods: A cross sectional study was conducted at a medical college and its associated hospital in a northern hilly state of India to determine the prevalence of microbial contamination of mobile phones used by health care providers. Doctors, Nurses, Laboratory Technicians and Medical Interns were contacted at their place of work to collect swab samples from their mobile phones. Sample collection sites included out-patient clinics as well as in-patient wards, emergency department and intensive care unit. All health care providers available at the time of visit to these departments were included in the study. Swab samples collected were immediately transferred to microbiology department where overnight incubation in peptone water at 37°C followed by culture and appropriate testing to identify organisms was done. Result: A total of 100 swab samples were collected, 28 from doctors, 20 from nurses, 25 from technicians and 27 from medical interns. All of them except one showed growth. Single growth were 56 while 43 cultures had multiple growths. Organism of medical importance isolated included Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CoNS), Methicillin Resistant CoNS, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella, S. aureus, E.coli among others. Conclusion: Almost all mobile phones were contaminated, more than half of whom were harbouring pathogenic micro-organisms. It could be a major threat to the health care providers as well as patients in form of nosocomial infections.

Concomitant detection of biofilm and metallo-beta-lactamases production in gram-negative bacilli.

Carbapenems are mainstay of treating serious multidrug resistant gram-negative biofi lm-based infections. However, recent emergence of metallo-beta-lactamases (ML) producing gram-negative bacilli in different parts of world may be related to gain of virulence factors associated with biofi lm production. Objectives: To explore the association of ML and biofi lm production in various gramnegative bacilli. Materials and Methods: In this study, 110 non-repetitive ceftazidime resistant gram-negative bacilli were evaluated for biofi lm and ML production. Biofi lm forming ability of isolates obtained from various specimens was tested by the tube method. Disks of ceftazidime (30 g) and ceftazidime with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (30 g + 750 g, prepared in house) for ML detection were used. Chi-square test was used to study the association between biofi lm and ML production. P value <0.05 was considered signifi cant. Results: 88 (80%) bacilli had shown biofi lm producing ability. The association of biofi lm and ML was signifi cant in cases of non-fermenters as compared to enterobacteriaceae members. Conclusion: The particular combination of virulence factors (biofi lm and ML) in bacteria may be a species specifi c effect which needs to be investigated at molecular level in detail. This may help in designing newer therapies based on interference with biofi lm formation and thus countering clinical episodes of antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic resistance pattern of urinary tract isolates of escherichia coli from Kumaun Region.

Background: Concurrent resistance to antimicrobials of different structural classes has arisen in a multitude of bacterial species and may complicate the therapeutic management of infections, including those of the urinary tract. Aim: To assess the resistance pattern among Escherichia coli from urinary isolates a retrospective in vitro surveillance study carried out in the Department of Microbiology, Uttarakhand Forest Hospital Trust Medical College from Jan. 2008- Dec. 2008. Materials and methods: Urine specimens were transported in sterile, leak-proof containers to the bacteriology laboratory immediately or if there was a delay, refrigerated for 4hrs before processing. Specimens were inoculated on cystine lactose electrolyte-deficient medium by semi quantitative method. The specimen yielding more than or equal to 105 organisms/ml of urine was interpreted as significant. Bacterial count less than this were considered insignificant. Growth of 3 or more than 3 organisms were considered contamination. Bacterial pathogens were identified by conventional biochemical methods according to standard microbiological techniques. Antimicrobial sensitivity was performed by the standard disk diffusion method. Results: E.coli was the most common uropathogen (57.76%) isolated and 94.29% of E.coli showed resistance to ampicillin, 92% to amoxycillin- salbactam, 70.86% to gentamicin, 65.71% to amikacin, 89.71% to cefuroxime, 72.57% to cefotaxime,76% to cefriaxone, 90.28% to ciprofloxacin, 61.14% to chlormphenicol, 42.86% to nitrofurantoin, 28% to piperacillin-tazobactam and 8.57% to imipenem. Multidrug resistance was defined as resistance to two or more classes of antibiotics. Multidrug resistance was detected in 97% isolates. Conclusion: These findings call for wiser use of antimicrobial agents and their continuous in vitro monitoring.

Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Urinary Tract Isolates of Escherichia coli from Kumaun Region.

Concurrent resistance to antimicrobials of different classes has arisen in a multitude of bacterial species and may complicate the therapeutic management of infections, including those of the urinary tract. To assess the resistance pattern among urinary isolates of E. coli, the most prevalent pathogen contributing these infections, a retrospective in vitro surveillance study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology, Uttarakhand Forest Hospital Trust Medical College from Jan. 2006 - Dec. 2006. A total of 175 E.coli isolates from urinary specimen had been tested against 12 antimicrobials. E.coli isolates tested, 94.29% showed resistance to ampicillin, 92% to amoxycillin- salbactam, 70.86% to gentamicin, 65.71% to amikacin, 89.71% to cefuroxime, 78.51% to cefotaxime,76% to cefriaxone, 90.28% to ciprofloxacin, 61.14% to chlormphenicol, 46.28% to nitrofurantoin, 28% to piperacillin-tazobactam and 8.5% to imipenum. Multidrug resistance was defined as resistance to three or more classes of antibiotics. Multidrug resistance was detected in 97% isolates. These findings call for wiser use of antimicrobial agents and their continuous in vitro monitoring.