The comparison of printed resources bacterial contamination in libraries of Al‑Zahra Hospital and Sciences Faculty of Isfahan University and the determination of their antibiotic sensitivity pattern

During the library loan process, the printed resources can be a carrier of pathogenic bacteria. In this study, it was tried to compare the Bacterial Contamination Rates and their antibiotic sensitivity pattern in printed resources of a hospital and a non‑hospital library.

This is a cross‑sectional study. Returning books from the Al‑Zahra hospital library and library of Sciences faculty of Isfahan University provides the research community. The sample size, 96 cases, was calculated using quota sampling. For sampling sterile swab dipped in trypticase soy broth medium and transfer trypticase soy broth medium were used. To identify different type of isolated bacteria from Gram‑staining test and biochemical tests such as; TSI, IMViC and etc., were used.

76 (79.2%) and 20 (20.8%) of cultured samples were negative and positive, the respectively. Of 20 positive samples, 11 samples (55%) belong to the family Enterobacteriaceae that after detecting by Differential teste identified all 11 samples of Enterobacter that all of them were sensitive to Gentamicin and Ofloxacin. Also the most resistance to Nitrofurantoin and Amikacin was observed. 9 cases remained (45%) were coagulase‑negative Staphylococcus that all of them were sensitive to the Trimethoprim‑sulfamethoxazole and Cephalexin antibiotics also the most resistance to Cefixime was observed.

Considering that the Enterobacter sp and coagulase‑negative Staphylococcus were separated from the books, the books as well as other hospital and medical equipment can transmit the infection to librarians, library users, patients and hospital staff, and also it can produce serious infections in patients with immune deficiency.