Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns of Bacteria Isolated from Hospital Surfaces and Environment in Kenya

Objective: Control of hospital environment is key to success of healthcare quality. Increasing emergence and spread of pathogenic bacteria is of great concern and continues to challenge infection prevention and epidemiology practice. This study aimed at providing information about the management of hospital environment and wastes in selected hospitals in Kenya, determine prevalence of pathogenic bacteria and their antibiotic susceptibility.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) (public) and Kikuyu Mission Hospital (KMH) (private) in Kenya from May 2015 to April 2017. In microbiological analysis, a total of 246 samples from each of the two hospitals was obtained using sterile cotton swabs from random sampling of hospital different surfaces, drainages, hands of healthcare givers and hospital waste dump site among others.

Results: A total of 471 bacterial isolates were recovered, and were distributed as follows; Providentia spp, Staphylococcus aureus spp, Escherichia coli spp (E. coli), other Gram negative bacteria were, Pseudomonas spp, coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CONS), Serratia spp, Klebsiella spp, Proteus spp and Enterobacter spp. Susceptibility test revealed that Escherichia coli isolates were the most sensitive isolate to antibiotics. Imipenem drug showed 100% sensitivity for Gram negative, while Gram-positive isolates, linezolid antibiotic was the most sensitive drug.

Discussion: There is need for stringent review of hospital waste management system in Kenya. The frequency of ESBL producing strains among clinical isolates has been steadily increasing.

Conclusion: Continued drug resistance surveillance of ESBL isolates is necessary to guide the appropriate and judicious antibiotic use.