Assessment of ultrasound equipment as a possible source of nosocomial infection in Lagos state hospitals and radio-diagnostic centres

•Ultrasound equipment has been shown to be a possible source of nosocomial infection for patient undergoing ultrasonography.•The study showed that Staphylococcus aureus was the most commonly isolated organism.•Transabdominal probe was the most commonly contaminated ultrasound equipment in the finding.•The ultrasound gel was also contaminated with organisms like S. aureus, etc.•There was a statistical significant difference between site of collection of sample and growth density of microorganisms (p = 0.03).

AimTo assess the role of ultrasound equipment as a possible source of nosocomial infection in Lagos metropolis, Nigeria.MethodsMicrobiological cultures were carried out on samples obtained from ultrasound probes, gel and couch before and after scanning period. Cultures were incubated in a culture plate (Chocolate and MacConkey agar) for 48 h at a temperature of 37° in order to grow microorganism, after which the culture plate was examined microscopically against a bright light in order to identify the isolated organisms based on their colonial characteristics.ResultsTransabdominal ultrasound probes, transvaginal probe, ultrasound couch and ultrasound gel all were contaminated with microorganisms. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent and most common organisms found (33.8%). Other organisms such as Staphylococcus epidermidis (15.4%), Candida albicans (6.2%), aerobic spore formers (26.2%), Klebsiella pneumonia (6.2%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3.1%), among others were also identified.ConclusionThe ultrasound equipment posed a significant risk for infection transmission. Patients who underwent ultrasonography within the period of the study had significant chances of being infected with Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and Aerobic spore formers.