Ambulance vehicles as a source of multidrug-resistant infections: a multicenter study in Assiut City, Egypt
Mohamed A El-Mokhtar,* Helal F Hetta,* Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Ambulances may represent a potential source of infection to patients, patients’ relat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Dove Medical Press
2018-04-01
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| Series: | Infection and Drug Resistance |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.dovepress.com/ambulance-vehicles-as-a-source-of-multidrug-resistant-infections-a-mul-peer-reviewed-article-IDR |
| _version_ | 1818929177821184000 |
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| author | El-Mokhtar MA Hetta HF |
| author_facet | El-Mokhtar MA Hetta HF |
| author_sort | El-Mokhtar MA |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mohamed A El-Mokhtar,* Helal F Hetta,* Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Ambulances may represent a potential source of infection to patients, patients’ relatives, and paramedical staffs. In this study, we analyzed the extent of bacterial contamination in ambulance vehicles and measured the degree of antimicrobial resistance among isolated pathogens. Materials and methods: Twenty-five vehicles were included and 16 sampling points were swabbed in each vehicle. Then the swabs were immediately transferred to the laboratory to identify bacterial contaminants utilizing standard microbiological procedures and API® systems. Antibiotic susceptibility testing and screening for methicillin-resistant staphylococci and extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs)-producing Gram-negative rods were carried out. Results: A total of 400 samples were collected, 589 bacteria were isolated and 286 (48.6%) of the isolates were potentially pathogenic. The highest contamination rate with pathogenic bacteria was detected in suction devices (75.8%) and stethoscopes (67.7%). Staphylococci were the most frequently detected microorganisms (n=184) followed by Klebsiella spp. (49), Escherichia coli (40), Citrobacter spp. (7), and Proteus spp. (6). Staphylococci were mostly sensitive to vancomycin, whereas Gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to imipenem. Overall, 46.1% of Staphylococcus aureus were methicillin resistant, whereas 20.4% of the coagulase-negative staphylococci were methicillin resistant. Moreover, 36.7% of Klebsiella spp. and 27.5% of E. coli were ESBL producers. Conclusion: Our study provides evidence that ambulances represent a source of prehospital multidrug-resistant infections. Keywords: ambulance, contamination, resistance, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended spectrum β-lactamases |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T03:40:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8ad138d1024d4da1bda0e82bf9d00e98 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-6973 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T03:40:40Z |
| publishDate | 2018-04-01 |
| publisher | Dove Medical Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Infection and Drug Resistance |
| spelling | doaj.art-8ad138d1024d4da1bda0e82bf9d00e982022-12-21T19:54:46ZengDove Medical PressInfection and Drug Resistance1178-69732018-04-01Volume 1158759437957Ambulance vehicles as a source of multidrug-resistant infections: a multicenter study in Assiut City, EgyptEl-Mokhtar MAHetta HFMohamed A El-Mokhtar,* Helal F Hetta,* Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Ambulances may represent a potential source of infection to patients, patients’ relatives, and paramedical staffs. In this study, we analyzed the extent of bacterial contamination in ambulance vehicles and measured the degree of antimicrobial resistance among isolated pathogens. Materials and methods: Twenty-five vehicles were included and 16 sampling points were swabbed in each vehicle. Then the swabs were immediately transferred to the laboratory to identify bacterial contaminants utilizing standard microbiological procedures and API® systems. Antibiotic susceptibility testing and screening for methicillin-resistant staphylococci and extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs)-producing Gram-negative rods were carried out. Results: A total of 400 samples were collected, 589 bacteria were isolated and 286 (48.6%) of the isolates were potentially pathogenic. The highest contamination rate with pathogenic bacteria was detected in suction devices (75.8%) and stethoscopes (67.7%). Staphylococci were the most frequently detected microorganisms (n=184) followed by Klebsiella spp. (49), Escherichia coli (40), Citrobacter spp. (7), and Proteus spp. (6). Staphylococci were mostly sensitive to vancomycin, whereas Gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to imipenem. Overall, 46.1% of Staphylococcus aureus were methicillin resistant, whereas 20.4% of the coagulase-negative staphylococci were methicillin resistant. Moreover, 36.7% of Klebsiella spp. and 27.5% of E. coli were ESBL producers. Conclusion: Our study provides evidence that ambulances represent a source of prehospital multidrug-resistant infections. Keywords: ambulance, contamination, resistance, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended spectrum β-lactamaseshttps://www.dovepress.com/ambulance-vehicles-as-a-source-of-multidrug-resistant-infections-a-mul-peer-reviewed-article-IDRAmbulanceContaminationResistanceMRSAESBL |
| spellingShingle | El-Mokhtar MA Hetta HF Ambulance vehicles as a source of multidrug-resistant infections: a multicenter study in Assiut City, Egypt Infection and Drug Resistance Ambulance Contamination Resistance MRSA ESBL |
| title | Ambulance vehicles as a source of multidrug-resistant infections: a multicenter study in Assiut City, Egypt |
| title_full | Ambulance vehicles as a source of multidrug-resistant infections: a multicenter study in Assiut City, Egypt |
| title_fullStr | Ambulance vehicles as a source of multidrug-resistant infections: a multicenter study in Assiut City, Egypt |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ambulance vehicles as a source of multidrug-resistant infections: a multicenter study in Assiut City, Egypt |
| title_short | Ambulance vehicles as a source of multidrug-resistant infections: a multicenter study in Assiut City, Egypt |
| title_sort | ambulance vehicles as a source of multidrug resistant infections a multicenter study in assiut city egypt |
| topic | Ambulance Contamination Resistance MRSA ESBL |
| url | https://www.dovepress.com/ambulance-vehicles-as-a-source-of-multidrug-resistant-infections-a-mul-peer-reviewed-article-IDR |
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