Is the hospital environment safe for the patient – assessment of the microbiological risk
Medical Review (Med. pregled), 2026, 62(2), 43-47.
M. Konstantinova1, A. Kircheva2
1University Hospital „Sv. Marina“ – Varna
2MHAT „Sv. Anna“ – Varna
Abstract: The hospital environment is an important factor that is involved in the mechanism of transmission of hospital pathogens in the course of activities related to the treatment and care of the patient. The contaminating microflora changes, both in type and quantitatively, depending on the work process. The presence of highly resistant bacterial strains in the hospital environment, despite the routine hygiene and disinfection measures carried out, is a serious problem for infection control. Objective: The object of this study is the species identification of the bacterial microflora that contaminates the hospital environment, the means of patient care and the hygiene equipment for the period 2008 to 2022 in the Sv. Anna – Varna Hospital. The methicillin resistance of the isolated staphylococci strains, as well as part of the multiresistant contaminants, was also monitored. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted for the period 2008 – 2022 at theAnna-Varna Hospital. The samples were collected through a sample of work surfaces, means of patient care, hands of medical personnel, medical instruments and equipment. We interpreted the contamination in accordance with the current regulatory framework of the Ministry of Health regarding laboratory control over the quality of disinfection and steri-lization in health care facilities. Results: For the entire observation period, a total of 9439 samples from different working surfaces of the hospital environment in the hospital were microbiologically examined, Growth of Gram /+/ staphylococci – St. aureus, CNS and CNS-MR was proven in 741 of the samples or a total of 59.57% of them. Gram /-/ bacteria from the family Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp. occupy the remaining relative share of isolates – 40.43%. Staphylococci persist as the leading bacterial species of the hospital ecosystem, represented mainly by the group of coagulase-negative staphylococci – CNS, and in recent years methicillin-resistant strains have dominated. Conclusion: Microbiological control is an important part of overall infection control in the hospital environment, and decontamination practices are increasingly important in the overall prophylactic approach to ensuring safe patient care.
Key words: hospital microflora, methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci / CNS-MR/, infection control
Address for correspondence: Assoc. Prof. A. Kircheva, MD, e-mail: kircheva@svetaanna-varna.com