bacterial resistance to disinfectants in hospitals of the medical city, baghdad, iraq

Aims: biofilm formation by bacteria causing healthcare-associated infections poses significant challenges in healthcare and clinical environmental settings, as these biofilms contribute to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, chronic infections, and contamination of medical equipment, complicating infection control and sanitation strategies. this study investigated the biofilm development of acinetobacter baumannii, klebsiella pneumoniae, pseudomonas aeruginosa, and burkholderia cepacia following exposure to three disinfectant formulations at different concentrations.materials & methods: this experimental study was done on 40 bacterial isolates collected from various hospital surfaces and medical equipment from different hospitals in medical city in baghdad. the first disinfectant comprised 45% ethyl alcohol, 5% isopropyl alcohol, and dodecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride. the second formulation included quaternary ammonium propionate, chlorhexidine digluconate, and a 2% glutaraldehyde solution. the third consisted of 10% dodecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride and 2% benzalkonium chloride. biofilm formation was assessed using the crystal violet assay. data were analyzed by spss 20. findings: most bacterial strains exhibited moderate to strong biofilm formation across all treatments, with some instances of weak biofilm development noted after the application of the second disinfectant. this suggests that disinfectant efficacy against biofilm-associated bacteria remains limited. conclusion: most bacterial strains exhibit moderate to strong biofilm formation across all treatments.