Microbiological analysis of hemodialysis water at the Douala General Hospital, Cameroon

Cédric Gueguim 1, 2, *, Marie Patrice Halle 3, Laurent Akono 1, Lucien Honoré Etame Sone 1, 4, Alain Ragon 5, François Kaze Folefack 6, Nnanga Nga 2, 3, 4 and Hortense Gonsu Kamga 7, 8

1 Department of Biology, Higher Institute of Medical Technology, Central Region, Cameroon.
2 Department of Galenic Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Legislation, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Central region, Cameroon.
3 Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala, Littoral Region, Cameroon.
4 Institute for Medical Research and Medicinal Plants (IMPM), Yaoundé, Cameroon.
5 Division of Uro-Nephrology Laboratory, Hospital of Conception, Marseille, France.
6 Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Central region, Cameroon.
7 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Central region, Cameroon.
8 Microbiology Laboratory of the Hospital Center and the University Hospital of Yaoundé, Central region, Cameroon.
 
Research Article
International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 2023, 08(02), 368–374.
Article DOI: 10.30574/ijsra.2023.8.2.0026
Publication history: 
Received on 01 January 2023; revised on 25 March 2023; accepted on 27 March 2023
 
Abstract: 
Rigorous control of the microbiological quality of water in hemodialysis services is important because the immune system of patients with chronic renal failure is weakened. The objective of this study was to determine the microbiological quality of water for hemodialysis in the hemodialysis department of the hemodialysis center of Douala General Hospital in order to improve the disinfection strategy. Twelve water samples were collected each month at different sites of the hemodialysis circuits A (inlet of filters), B (Outlet of filters / inlet of Reverse Osmosis (RO) device) and C (outlet of the RO device / close to the generator) between November 2015 and February 2016 to be analyzed. The bacteria were isolated after filtration of 100 ml of water at each site through nitrocellulose membrane with 0.45 µm microporosity deposited on the surface of the Tryptone Glucose Extract Agar (TGEA) and then incubated at room temperature (20 to 22ºC) for 7 days. After transplanting to different environments, pure bacterial isolates were identified by their cultural characters and marketed biochemical galleries. The colony count was well above the required international standards (˃100 CFU / ml), for the hemodialysis water with a percentage of 50% (6/12) of non-compliance. Among the bacteria identified, nine (07) were Gram-negative bacilli including Pseudomonas fluorescens and Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp ozaenae, three (03) Gram-positive bacilli all Bacillus sp and three (03) Gram-positive cocci all of coagulase-negative staphylococci. The most frequently isolated bacterial genera were Pseudomonas (38.5%), Klebsiella (15, 5%), Bacillus (23%) and Staphylococcus (23%). The detection of a variety of bacteria in the hemodialysis water in this study indicates the need for regular and appropriate monitoring of water for hemodialysis by the hemodialysis center of Douala General Hospital to ensure a better quality of life for patients undergoing this treatment.
 
Keywords: 
Water; Hemodialysis; Microbiology; Contamination; Disinfection
 
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