Abstract
Abstract Health care associated infections which is known as nosocomial infection caused by multi drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria is a worrisome subject to health care providers causing limitations in treatment options, and leading to increasing morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. This study was undertaken to explore the spread of multi drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria producing Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase enzymes (ESBLs) in operating theaters of Sebha Medical Center, for this purpose, 321 swabs were collected from operating theaters of Sebha Medical Center, the swabs were transferred to microbiology laboratory, faculty of Science, Sebha University and cultured on MacConkey agar supplemented with 4 mg/l of cefotaxime and incubated aerobically at 37°C for 18-24 hrs. Twelve isolates were found in the environment of surgical operating theaters, these isolates were; Providenecia stuartii (58%), Providenecia alcalifaciens (17%), Pseudomonas fluorescens (8%), Pseudomonas Iuteola (8%), Ochrobactrum anthropi (8%). The most effective antibiotics against MDR Gram negatives isolated from the surgical operating theaters were; Gentamicin, Amikacin and Tobromycin, and resistant to other antibiotics tested. The results also showed that production of ESBLs among MDR Gram negatives isolated was with a rate of 83%, P. stuartii was the most positive isolates for ESβL enzymes in surgical operating theaters with a rate of 52%.