Abstract

Objective: Sleeves, rings, bracelets etc. are the surfaces that mostly get soiled and exposed to bacterial contamination while working at clinics, laboratories or contacting with patients. Since sleeves of white coats can be a suitable growth medium, we assessed and interpreted cultures which were taken from surfaces of sleeves.

Methods: Samples were taken from contact surface sides of sleeves (considering right-left handedness) by sterile saline moisturized swabs. Samples were inoculated to eosin-methylene blue and blood agars. Samples with different colony morphologies were assessed with Gram staining after 24-hour incubation. Gram-positive cocci which were further tested for catalase and coagulase (tube and slide) reactions inoculated to Mueller-Hinton medium after being adjusted to 0.5 McFarland turbidity standard. Methicillin resistance tested by using cefoxitin disk. Antibiotic susceptibilities were investigated by disk diffusion method according to the recommendations of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute.

Results: We assessed 80 samples and detected 4 types of colonies in 2 samples, 3 types of colonies in 9 samples, 2 types of colonies in 13 samples and 1 type of colony in 43 samples. There was no bacterial growth in 13 samples obtained after recent wash. Bacterial growths were 42 methicillin-sensitive coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), 8 methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, 16 methicillin-resistant CNS, 7 micrococci, 10 diphtheroids, 7 Bacillus spp., 1 α-hemolytic streptococci, 2 Gram-negative bacilli and 5 yeasts.

Conclusions: Contact of white coat sleeves with working areas allows microorganism colonization. 84% bacterial growth in samples and more than one type colonizing organism in 30% of them support this thesis. Therefore, we recommend wearing non-sleeved white coats and to allow hand washing up to wrists which can be more effective prevention for hospital infections.