Survey of Pathogenic Bacteria in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Tripoli Medical Center, Libya.

الملخص

Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is an ideal environment for transmission of many pathogens, which lead to high morbidity and mortality in neonates. Microbial pathogens which cause nosocomial infection are known of high resistance to many antibiotics which lead to economic burdens, in addition to social and psychological factors affecting the families due to long duration in hospitals. Prevention of infection requires identification of contaminated environment and equipment, effective infection control programs, and judicious of antimicrobial agents.

Methods: 244 neonates, who were admitted to NICU, and 235residing neonates at Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) of Tripoli Medical Center (TMC) in the months of May to July 2013, and who were found positive for pathogenic infection were subjected to the study. Pathogenic organisms were isolated and identified according to Standard Microbiological Methods, and antibiogram was assessed against common antibiotics.

Results: Acinetobacter baumannii was the most frequently isolated bacterium from neonates at NICU and SCBU at a rate of 40% and 48%, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae at a rate of (33% and 31%) respectively, while the less frequently isolated organisms were Staphylococcus haemolyticus (9% NICU and 5% SCBU), and S. hominis (7% NICU and 3% SCBU). Infection sites were 2 Ear, Nose, and Throat (53 % NICU and 58% SCBU), CSF (33% NICU and 3.85% SCBU), Urine, Eye swab (30% NICU and 47% SCBU), Vein Catheter 29 %) NICU), Skin swab catheter (30% NICU and 27% SCBU), blood (11% ICU and 12% SCBU), Umbilical Swab (7% NICU and 18% SCBU), Nasal swab (4% NICU
and 12%S CBU), catheter (30.33NICU and 27%S CBU(.
Conclusion: data indicate significant infection problem in Tripoli Medical Center
Hospital, and inefficient infection control programs. A. baumannii and Klebsiella pneumonia were the predominant cause of neonatal infection at TMC. Antimicrobial resistant pathogens isolated in Neonatal Intensive Care and Special Care Baby Units respectively were: K. pneumoniae (ESBL)(56.52% and 44.44%), Carbepenem-resistant K. pneumoniae 21.7%) and 11.11%), and E. coli (ESBL) (13.04% and 5.56%).