Unveiling Hidden Threats: Bacterial Contamination of Frequently Touched Objects and the Biofilm Property of Staphylococcus aureus as a Threat to Antibiotic Success

Abstract

Background: Frequently touched objects within hospital premises acts as a potential reservoir for healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs), significantly amplifying the risk when biofilm-producing bacteria are involved. These bacteria often exhibit multidrug-resistant (MDR) patterns, complicating the antimicrobial treatments. So, this study intended to determine the bacterial contamination level on frequently touched objects and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns and to determine the relation between biofilm-producing Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug resistance patterns. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at different intensive care units (NICU and MICU) and operation theatre of Frontline Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. Aseptically, 297 swab samples were collected and cultured, and the isolated bacteria were identified using standard microbiological procedures. Antibiotics susceptibility test done by the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method, and biofilm detection was done by the microtiter plate method at 570 nm by using an ELISA reader. For data analysis, SPSS Version 23 was used. Results: Of total 297 swab samples processed, 31.3% (93/297) showed bacterial growth, yielding a total of 108 isolates. Mixed growth was reported on 16.1% (15/93) samples. The frequency of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was 95.4% (103/108) and 4.6% (5/108), respectively. The main isolates were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) 50.9%, followed by S. aureus (36.1%), Gram-positive bacilli (8.3%), Pseudomonas species (2.8%), and Klebsiella species (1.9%). Out of 39 S. aureus isolates, 53.8% (21/39) were MDR and 25 (64.10%) were biofilm producers. Similarly, 35.9% (14/39) were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), among which majority 71.4% (10/14) of MRSA recovered as biofilm producers. Conclusion: A frequently touched object within different intensive care units and operation theatre was found to be contaminated with potential pathogens and normal flora. Bacterial contamination of such objects can contribute to HCAIs and the hands of health professionals can be the mode of cross-contamination.