Comparison of Floor Microbial Flora in Intensive Care Unit Set ups with vs without Shoes

Abstract

Most of hospitals with intensive care units (ICU) have the policy of removing shoes before entering the intensive care unit set up.It is assumed that it reduces nosocomial infection rates can be as high as 10%. The studies across the world are limited and controversial. We planned the study to identify the common microbials on floor by wearing shoes in Pediatrics intensive care unit (PICU) and not allowing shoes inside neonatal intensive care unit NICU. All bacterial pathogens were reported and compared. Conclusion: E.coli, pseudomonas, klebsiella, enterobacter were amongst the common gram negative pathogens in both ICUS, however pseudomonas and enterobacter were serious pathogens identified only in PICU, where shoes were allowed. MRSA was isolated in both the ICUS amongst gram positive groups. Comparison of number of culture was not significant (P>0.5).