Investigating Microbial Contamination of Indoor Air, Environmental Surfaces, and Medical Equipment in a Southwestern Ethiopia Hospital.

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections, primarily caused by microorganisms, are widespread in healthcare facilities. These infections pose a significant challenge, especially in low and middle-income countries, and have a detrimental impact on patient outcomes. It is crucial to assess the level of microbial load and associated factors to prevent the spread of these infections. The objective of this study was to assess the microbial load and identify the factors associated with it in various wards at Jimma Medical Center.

Method: A cross-sectional study conducted at Jimma Medical Center. Indoor air samples were collected using the settle plate method with a 1/1/1 scheme. Inanimate surfaces and medical equipment were sampled using Swabs from a 10 × 10 cm area. A total of 268 samples were collected from 10 rooms. Pertinent information regarding the associated factors was gathered using an observational checklist. A multiple linear regression model was used to identify any associations with the microbial load.

Result: Out of the total samples, 181 (67.5%) tested positive for culture, and 270 microbes were isolated. The average load of bacteria and fungi in the indoor air ranged from 124.4 to 1607 and 96 to 814.6 Colony-forming unit (CFU)/m³, respectively. The mean total aerobic colony counts of bacteria and fungi from all surfaces in the wards ranged from 5.25 to 43.3 CFU/cm². Crowdedness [β = 2.748 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.057-4.44)], the presence of waste material [β = 1.747 (95% CI: 0.213-3.282)], and an unclean room [β = 2.505 (95% CI: 0.990-4.019)] were significantly associated with the microbial load.

Conclusion: The microbial load detected in indoor air, inanimate surfaces and medical equipment was posing potential health risks. Consequently, it is recommended to implement regular microbial surveillance of the hospital environment and enhance the infection prevention program to mitigate these concerns.