Sources of bacteria causing nosocomial infections At NICU of Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran

As one of the most vital sections in every hospital، the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is where controlling nosocomial infections play an important role in recovery and health improvement of patients. In the present study، effort has been made to find out the Sources of bacteria causing nosocomial infections in order to prevent nosocomial infections in NICU. In this cross-sectional research، the involving bacteria were identified by collecting samples from hands and nipples of 50 mothers who regularly came in NICU to visit and breastfeed their babies. In addition، samples were collected from hands of 50 hospital staff، breast milk from 50 mothers، airstream in HVAC system، and 50 of the medical equipments available at NICU. This study indicated that in respect of frequency، coagulase-negative staphylococci، Klebsiella pneumonia، and Escherichia coli were the main bacteria isolated from mothers’ hands and nipples، hands of the staff، feeding bottles and breast milk samples. As for the airstream in HVAC system، however، no types of bacteria were observed. Coagulase-negative Staphylococci and Klebsiella pneumonia are the most widespread colonized bacteria causing nosocomial infections such as neonatal sepsis in NICU. Having isolated the highest amount of Coagulase-negative staphylococci and Klebsiella pneumonia، the present study revealed that hands and nipples of the mothers، hands of the staff، feeding milk bottles and the containing breast milk are among the major Sources of bacteria causing nosocomial infections at NICU. With regard to the cultured samples of the airstream in HVAC system، there existed no types of bacteria; therefore، it could not have been a Sources of bacteria at NICU.