[Detection of gram-negative bacteria in patients and hospital environment at a room in geriatric wards under the infection control against MRSA].
We prospectively surveyed gram-negative bacteria in patients and hospital environment in a room in the geriatric ward which was specifically under the infection control against MRSA once every two weeks between September and December 1996. We investigated the inpatients in an 8-bed room in the geriatric wards (190 beds) of AINO Memorial Hospital, affiliated with Nagasaki University. During the study period, we performed a total of 431 cultures. The number of specimens cultured was 116 from airways (nose, 42; pharynx, 42; sputum, 32), 24 from decubitus ulcer, 40 from urine, 42 from feces, a total of 125 from skin (head, 42; forearm, 42; inguinal region, 41), and 84 from the hospital environment (floor swab, 42; settled agar plate, 42), respectively. A total of 15 species were isolated from the hospital environment. Some species were the same as those which were recovered from the hospital environment were those observed on each body site. In the hospital environment, the isolation rates of Acinetobacter baumanii and Klebsiella pneumoniae were significantly high in the settled agar plate (A. baumanii, p < 0.01; K. pneumoniae, p < 0.05, respectively). Isolation rates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter spp., and Enterobacter sakazakii were also high in the settled agar plate (p = 0.078, 0.078, 0.078, respectively). In conclusion, gram-negative bacteria in patients may be associated with the environmental bacteria in the room in the geriatric wards.
Department of Internal Medicine, Aino Memorial Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan.
H
H
Masaki
N
N
Asoh
M
M
Tao
H
H
Ikeda
S
S
Degawa
K
K
Matsumoto
K
K
Inokuchi
K
K
Watanabe
H
H
Watanabe
K
K
Oishi
T
T
Nagatake
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*