Speakers
Description
Background: Transmission of bacteria via hands of healthcare workers a critical factor in the spread of infections within and beyond hospital settings. While much research has focused on hospital fomites, little is known about the role of healthcare workers’ private vehicles as potential reservoirs of pathogenic bacteria.
Objective: This study assessed bacterial contamination on high-touch car surfaces including steering wheels, inner door handles, and gearshifts of private vehicles belonging to hospital staff at KNUST Hospital, with vehicles of KNUST lecturers serving as a control group
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by taking composite swabs from 23 vehicles (13 from hospital staff and 10 from lecturers) and culturing samples on selective media, isolates were identified through biochemical tests.
Key Findings: Bacterial loads in private vehicles of hospital staff (5.73×104) were significantly lower than that of lecturers (8.21×104; p = 0.02065). Bacillus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Corynebacterium spp., and Escherichia coli were among the most prevalent isolates. Importantly, multidrug-resistant strains, including Acinetobacter spp., were detected only in hospital staff vehicles.
Implications: These results suggest that private vehicles of hospital staff represent overlooked reservoirs for bacterial dissemination, creating a potential link between healthcare and community environments. Incorporating vehicle hygiene and reinforcing hand hygiene practices into infection control strategies could help mitigate the spread of pathogenic and resistant bacteria.
Keywords: Transmission, fomites, bacterial load, private vehicles, multidrug resistance