Recovery of resistant bacteria from mattresses of patients under contact precautions.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Microorganisms may contaminate hospital mattresses even after terminal cleaning. We investigated the recovery of resistant bacteria from the mattresses of patients under contact precautions at a university hospital. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study. Samples were obtained from the surface of mattresses, spread on replicate organism detection and counting plates, and cultivated at 37°C for 48 hours. After collecting samples, we identified microorganisms and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using the Vitek 2 (bioMérieux SA, Marcy-l'Etoile, France) automation system. RESULTS: We evaluated 51 mattresses. A total of 26 had resistant bacteria on the surface; the predominant species were Acinetobacter baumannii (69.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (11.5%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.5%). The median length of hospital stay was 41 days; the bed occupancy for patients under contact precautions and the time at which the patient was diagnosed as a carrier of resistant bacteria was 18 days. CONCLUSIONS: The phenotypic similarity of A baumannii in inpatient units (mattresses) suggests circulation of the same strain. These results highlight the importance of controlling the potential spread of microorganisms through hospital mattresses.