Bacteria Associated with Healthcare-Associated Infections on Environmental Samples Obtained from Two Fire Departments

Area of Science:

• Environmental microbiology
• Occupational health and safety
• Infection control

Background:

• Firefighters face high risks of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) due to frequent medical responses without patient history.
• Existing infection prevention systems are hospital-focused, leaving firefighter exposure to HAI largely unquantified.
• Understanding pathogen presence in fire stations is crucial for protecting first responders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of HAI on surfaces within fire stations and engines.
• To identify specific pathogens contributing to occupational exposures for firefighters.
• To inform the development of targeted disinfection protocols.

Main Methods:

• Environmental surface sampling was conducted across two fire departments, including stations and engines.
• High-touch surfaces such as keyboards, medical bags, and uniform pants were targeted.
• Sampling occurred over a 4-week period in one department and once in another, with multiple stations visited.

Main Results:

• Bacterial contamination levels were comparable between the two fire departments.
• Keyboards emerged as the most frequently contaminated surface across all sampled locations.
• Escherichia coli (E. coli) was the predominant bacteria detected, while Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) was least common.

Conclusions:

• Significant bacterial contamination exists on surfaces within fire stations and engines.
• Keyboards represent a high-risk area for pathogen transmission among firefighters.
• Further comprehensive environmental and clinical research is essential to fully understand firefighter occupational exposure to HAI.