2012 年 24 巻 1 号 p. 105-109
[Purpose] Though geriatric care hospitals are continuously increasing due to the expansion of the elderly population, studies of hospital-acquired infections in their physical therapy rooms are currently lacking. This study examined the isolation frequency and antimicrobial resistance of bacterial pathogens isolated from physical therapy rooms of geriatric care hospitals. [Methods] Specimens were collected from physical therapy rooms of geriatric care hospitals The isolates were examined by morphological and biochemical tests, 16S rRNA analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility tests. [Results] Among Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter baumannii was the major pathogen in the physical therapy rooms, followed by Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella ozaenae and Klebsiella oxytoca in order of frequency of occurrence. Among non-fermenting Gram-negative rods, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa, and among Gram-positive cocci, Enterococcus feacalis and Staphylococcus sp. were detected in order of frequency of occurrence. Gram-positive bacilli and fungus were also detected. A. baumannii isolates showed strong resistance to cephalothin and ampicillin. Enterobacteriaceae isolates showed strong resistance to ampicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam, cefazolin and cefoxitin. Staphylococcus spp isolates were methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Stapylococcus spp (MR-CNS). [Conclusion] The results suggest the possible appearance of multidrug-resistant bacteria. To control nosocomial infections in physical therapy rooms of geriatric care hospitals and to prevent multidrug-resistant bacteria, continuous investigation and hygiene control are required.
