The frequency of bacterial contamination and diversity of drug resistance patterns in devices and staff of endoscopy and colonoscopy units

Background: This study aimed at analyzing microbial contamination in medical equipment, environment, and staff of a gastroenterology unit. Methods: Samples of gastrointestinal imaging devices, the environment, and staff were collected using standard swab-rinse technique and biochemical or molecular characteristics of the isolates, their susceptibility to antibiotics, and similarity of the resistance patterns were investigated. Results: Out of 107 samples, bacterial contamination was detected in the hands of staff (54.1%), imaging devices (56.7%), and in the environment (54.5%). While Pseudomonas spp. were detected only in the imaging devices (13.5%), Bacillus spp. (32.4% and 31.5%), Enterococcus spp. (14.3% and 5.9%), Clostridium difficile (10.8% and 10.5%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (5.4% and 15.9%) were orderly the most common isolates from samples of the imaging devices and the environment. Nearly, 40% of P. aeruginosa strains were resistant to cefepime, while resistance to cephalosporins and β-lactamase inhibitor was detected in 33% and 75% of S. aureus strains, respectively. Homology of resistance patterns was detected between the imaging devices and hands of the staff. Conclusion: Our results proposed biofilm and spore forming bacteria as main contaminants of imaging devices in this hospital. Homology of the resistance patterns proposed involvement of staff in contamination of the equipment.