Air conditioning systems and nosocomial infections in Mosul hospitals

F. Mohammed, Manal; A. Al-dabbagh, Karam

doi:10.33899/iphr.2011.49593

	Air conditioning systems and nosocomial infections in Mosul hospitals
Iraqi Journal of Pharmacy
Article 1, Volume 11, Issue 1, 2011, Pages 59-68 PDF (0 K)
DOI: 10.33899/iphr.2011.49593
Authors
Manal F. Mohammed; Karam A. Al-dabbagh
Abstract
Background: Nosocomial infections (NIs) have proven to be persistent and sometimes complicated problem. More than one third of all nosocomial infections possibly involve airborne transmission. The aim of this study is to estimate the types of bacteria that could be present in air-conditioning systems of some hospitals and their antibiotic sensitivity profile. Materials and methods: Swab samples were taken from air-conditioning system filters and rendered for bacterial identification and evaluation of their antibiotic susceptibility. Results: The results showed twenty isolates from three different hospitals. Ibn Sina showed ١٦ isolates (٥ S. aureus; ٣ S. epidermidis; ٤ S. saprophyticus; ١ E. coli; ١ Proteus mirabilis; ١ Klebsiella pneumoniae and ١ Pseudomonas aeruginosa), Ibn Al- Atheer hospital showed only ٢ isolates (١ S.aureus, and ١ Streptococcus) and Al- Jumhori hospital showed only ٢ isolates (١ S. aureus, and ١ S. saprophyticus); most of this isolates are resistant to the antibiotics used in this study. Conclusion: there are a risky bacteria located in air conditioners especially indoor conventional systems more than the hospital designed systems and still both represent a susceptible source for nosocomial infection.
Keywords
nosocomial; air; conditioning systems; airborne infection

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