Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Medical Gauze as Unseen Environmental Pollutant

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Banerjee, Devjani | Gohil, Tejas | Dudhat, Sarika

Affiliations: Ashok & Rita Patel Institute of Integrated Study & Research in Biotechnology and Allied Sciences (Aribas), Adit Campus, New Vallabh Vidya Nagar, Gujarat, India – 388121 Affilated to Sardar Patel University

Note: [] Corresponding author: E-mail: devjani.chakraborty@yahoo.com

Abstract: The present study was undertaken to screen the bacterial isolates causing hemolysis present in medical gauze, used to wrap wounds. The medical gauze was obtained from medical store Anand, Gujarat, India. Isolation was done according to Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guidelines along with 16S rDNA characterization and further PCR was performed to check the presence of hemolysin gene. In all, 10 different bacterial colonies were isolated out of which seven were found to be resistant against one or the other antibiotic. Molecular characterization of colony number 7 confirmed the presence of hemolysin gene and was found to be resistant to large number of antibiotics, identified as Enterobacter hormaechei. Enterobacter hormaechei is lesser known strain as not much has been reported in India. But this is thought to be one of the major bacteria responsible for nosocomial infection by means of various transmissions. Medical gauzes are widely used in surgeries and covering wounds. The possible presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria like this can give rise to devastating effect leading to various nosocomial outbreaks.

Keywords: Nosocomial, medical gauze, Enterobacter hormaechei

Journal: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 87-91, 2015