Antibiotic Susceptibility and Concentration of Airborne Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) in the Intensive Care Units (ICU) of Different Hospitals in Northern Jordan

Abstract

Coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) constitute an increasing nosocomial problem especially in hospitals due to intrinsic and acquired resistance to antimicrobials agent. Our objective is to evaluate the CoNS in the adult intensive care units (ICU) and nursery intensive care units (NICU) of Northern Jordan Hospital, to different antibiotics. 128 air samples of 100 liters volume/min were collected by a microbiological air sampler from the above units during the period June to December, 2005. Air samples were impacted on Trypticase soy agar (TSA), and then incubated at 37 °C for 48 h. Each bacterial colony appeared on agar plates were sub-cultured on TSA or blood agar and incubated at 37 °C for 24-48 h, and then identified by standard methods. The average bacterial count in the ICU and NICU was 311.7 and 322 cfu/m3, respectively. CoNS were the most prevalent bacteria of all Gram positives in ICU (26.5%) and NICU (23.5%) with S. saprophyticus been the most isolated species (> 65%). CoNS were the most commonly isolated Gram positive cocci in ICU and showed remarkable resistance to Novobiocin (66.9 %), but high susceptibility (> 90%) to Ciprofloxacin.