Microbiological Analysis of Neonatal Incubators

Background: Improper handling, cleaning, and disinfection of incubators in neonatal units pose significant risks, including infections and other adverse events, which are major contributors to morbidity and mortality in these settings. Purpose: To conduct a microbiological analysis of neonatal incubators to assess bacterial contamination over time. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study involved 56 incubators from a maternity hospital in northeastern Brazil, stratified into 6 groups based on the number of days since disinfection: Recently Disinfected, Not Yet Used group (clean, no prior use), Early Use group (1-3 days), Moderate Use group (4-6 days), Extended Use group (7-9 days), Long-Term Use group (10-12 days), and Very Long-Term Use group (13-15 days). Microbiological samples were collected using swab techniques from the portholes and internal corners of the incubator surfaces and processed in a bacteriology laboratory. Results: Bacterial growth was observed in 87.35% of samples from the portholes and 82.1% from the internal corners, with significantly higher growth on the portholes. Growth patterns were similar between groups 1 and 2, as well as between groups 4, 5, and 6, with group 3 marking the plateau point for bacterial growth. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species were the most prevalent. Implications for Practice and Research: The findings of this study underscore the need for stringent cleaning protocols to mitigate infection risk in neonatal care. These results can inform clinical actions aimed at reducing microbial proliferation in incubators.