Author/Authors :
Paravar, Mohammad Trauma Research Center - Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran , Safavi, Somaye Trauma Research Center - Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran , Eghtesadi, Razie Trauma Research Center - Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran , Mohamadzade, Mahdi Trauma Research Center - Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran , Sehat, Mojtaba Trauma Research Center - Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran , Fazel, Mohammadreza Trauma Research Center - Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran , Fakharian, Esmaeil Trauma Research Center - Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran , Makki, Mohammadhosein Trauma Research Center - Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran , Erami, Mahzad Trauma Research Center - Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran , Taghipor, Tayebeh Trauma Research Center - Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran , Dayani Najafabadi, Abdolreza Trauma Research Center - Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran
Abstract :
Objective: Emergency medical services systems are at the first line of dealing with
patients who suffer from various infections. Conducting investigations on the bacterial
contamination of emergency ambulances play a crucial role to improve the occupational
health of staff as well as the quality of patient care. Therefore, the aim of the present study
was to investigate the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and other life treating bacteria in
the urban and rural ambulances and their on-call emergency medical service personnel.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 12 front line prehospital emergency urban and rural ambulances in Kashan, Iran, in 2015. A total of 18 sites
were sampled in each ambulance and from the nose of personnel. Grown colonies were
confirmed based on colony morphology on mannitol salt agar plates, gram stain reaction
and biochemical characteristics reactions.
Results: The S. aureus contamination was only isolated from the nose of on-call emergency
medical service providers of 12 urban and road ambulances, while no sign of contamination
was found in 18 sampling sites of these front-line ambulances. Also, further evaluation of
these sampling sites revealed the contamination with coagulase-negative staphylococci
in all of them and oxygen tank was introduced as the most contaminated site inside the
ambulances. Moreover, the prevalence of equipment contamination was significantly
higher in urban ambulances.
Conclusion: Identifying the rate of pathogens in clinical settings like the pre-hospital
ambulance setting is an important issue which should be carefully considered.
Keywords :
Emergency medical services , Bacterial contamination , Infection , Staphylococcus aureus
