Occurrence of Klebsiella pneumoniae and other coliforms in liquid neutral soap utilized in a hospital nursery

Abstract

An outbreak of hospital infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae has been found out in a hospital nursery part of Health Service of Salvador-BA. Some microbiological analyses have been done in different possible sources of exogenous contamination in order to detect the origin of the infection. The presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae and other coliforms has been verified in the soapy water utilized in the bath of newborn babies. Since no contamination in the nursery watersupply had been confirmed, several samples of the liquid neutral soap utilized have been examined, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter sp. and other coliforms were isolated in them. Samples of the soap from different batches were then examined, and the contamination was verified only in the batches sent to the hospital. The manufacturer attributed the contamination of those batches to the usage of non-treated water, from unknown source, in the process of soap manufacture. The results obtained in that research indicate the liquid neutral soap as a possible source of hospital infection, usually non-considered as such, and show the risks the non-observance of regular pratices of manufacture may cause to the users of hygiene and cleaning products.