Microorganisms Associated With Usable Equipment in The Radiological Unit of University of Benin Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Radiology unit is one of the commonly used diagnostic centres in the hospital. Medical devices in this unit harbour nosocomial pathogens that may likely complicate patient illnesses. This study investigated the presence of pathogenic microbes in usable equipment from hospital radiology units. Samples were collected via sterile swab stick from three radiological units (Ultrasound, X-ray and Mammogram rooms) equipment of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City. The media used in the isolation of the microorganisms were Nutrient Agar (bacteria) and Potato Dextrose Agar (fungi). The highest total heterotrophic bacterial count (THBC) was found to be 3.33 ± 0.33 x 10²cfu/cm² from X-ray cassette while the least 1.00 ± 0.33 x10²cfu/cm²was from Mammography machine.  Total heterotrophic fungi (THFC) showed the highest count of 1.33 ± 0.33 x10² cfu/ cm² while the least 2.70 x10¹ ± 0.33 cfu/cm²were from X-ray cassette and Mammogram (compressor) respectively.Bacterial identified based on cultural, morphological and biochemical characteristics were Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus polymyxa, Corynebacteriumkutsceri, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus mitis, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Staphylococcus aureus (17.24 %) was the most occurring bacterial isolate while the least were M. luteus and S. mitis with 3.45 % occurrence. Fungi isolated include Penicillium sp., Fusarium sp. and Mucorsp.Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, S. mitis and M. luteuswere more susceptible to all the conventional antibiotics while B. subtilis,B. cereus and S. aureusshowed more resistance to some of the antibiotics. The risks of contracting a nosocomial infection due to the presence of microorganisms isolated in this study is very high, therefore, the control of microorganisms is of prime importance in hospital environments.