The hospital environment may contribute with the dissemination of pathogens. There are no meaningful
standards for permissible levels of microbial contamination of inanimate surfaces in hospital
environment, but an increased microbial load on surfaces may imply the possibility of finding a pathogen.
During a 18 months study, 1153 bacterial isolates were recovered from 1063 enviromental samples(beds,
door handle, trash basket , door surface, floors, and medial equipments) in trauma and chest ICUs of
Assuit University Hospital and trauma ICU of Sohag university hospital. In vitro susceptibility of
environmental bacterial isolates to 12 antimicrobial agents Ampicilin; Amikacin, Ciprofloxacin,
Tetracycline, Bacitracin, Amoxclav, Gentamicin, Cefotaxime, Ceftazidime, Imipenem, Meropenem and
Chloramphenicol (as commercial antimicrobial agents). Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella
pneumoniae, Pseudomonas spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Entercoccus spp,
Acinetobacter baumannii, Serratia marcescens and Coagulase negative Staphylococcus were identified in
three intensive care units. The most prevalent organism was Klebsiella pneumonia and Staphylococcus
aureus in trauma and chest ICUs of Assuit University Hospital, Escherichia coli in trauma ICU of Sohag
University Hospital. Vancomycin, linezolid, gentamicin and ciperofloxcin were highly effective to gram
positives while imipenem and meropenem to gram negatives