Microbiological assessment of cleanliness of surfaces and equipment in a children’s operating theatre on the example of a selected hospital

Introduction. The operating theatre is one of the most important places in a hospital. Due to the presence of numerous reservoirs of microorganisms and the invasiveness of surgical procedures it is necessary to ensure high hygiene standards in these locations. Objective. The aim of the study was to carry out a qualitative assessment of the microbiological cleanliness of the surfaces and equipment in an operating theatre. Materials and method. The results of microbiological tests of the surfaces and equipment of the Children’s Operating Theatre in Clinical Provincial Hospital No. 2 in Rzeszów, southeast Poland, during 2007–2012 were reviewed retrospectively. Results and conclusions. For the analysis, a total of 1,819 swabs were collected, of which 1.05% were positive. Positive results were obtained mainly from samples taken from moist places (57.9%). Among the microorganisms isolated, Gram- negative bacteria constituted the majority (57.9%), Pseudomonas bacteria were found most frequently (31,6%). Isolated microbes can be the etiological agent of nosocomial infections.