{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]],"date-time":"2025-12-18T11:20:31Z","timestamp":1766056831503,"version":"3.48.0"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]],"date-time":"2025-12-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1766016000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Bacterial contaminants in ambulances could have a major impact on morbidities, mortalities, and healthcare resources, especially if these bacteria are antimicrobial-resistant. As far as we know, this is the first study in Al-Qassim region to evaluate the prevalence of bacterial contaminants in swab samples obtained from ambulances from Alqwarah General Hospital, Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia as an indicator for evaluation of the implemented infection control measures, and screen the antibiotics profiles of the isolates against the most regularly used antimicrobials. In total, 204 samples were collected from the ambulances following patient transport. To evaluate the effect of vehicle decontamination, 204 swabs were collected from the same sites of the ambulances immediately after cleaning and disinfection. The isolates were identified using standard bacteriological and biochemical methods, as recommended by the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI). The antibiotic susceptibility patterns were assessed using the Kirby\u2013Bauer disc diffusion method. The prevalence of bacterial contamination in the samples collected following patient transport was 46.08%. In total, 83.33%, 75.00%, and 66.66% of the samples collected from DC shock apparatuses, ceilings, and emergency personnel seats, respectively, were contaminated. Furthermore, ceilings, DC shock apparatuses, emergency personnel seats, cervical collars, and monitors were found to harbor 10.8%, 9.8%, 7.8%, 6.8%, and 6.8% of the 102 bacterial isolates, respectively. Gram-positive organisms represented 96.1% of all bacterial isolates. Bacillus spp. was the most common isolate, accounting for 60.8% of all bacterial isolates. Although Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus spp. isolates were sensitive to all the tested antimicrobials, many Gram-positive bacterial isolates were resistant to some antibiotics in variable frequencies. After 48 h of aerobic incubation (with or without 5\u201310% CO2) on nutrient, blood, chocolate, and MacConkey agar plates at 37 \u00b0C, no bacterial growth was detected in the samples collected immediately following cleaning and disinfection. This is the second Saudi study to evaluate the prevalence of bacterial contaminants in Saudi Arabian ambulances, and it could help health policy makers in improving the implemented infection prevention and control measures in Saudi Arabian ambulances. The samples taken after patient transport revealed bacterial contaminants with varying rates of antimicrobial resistance. Policies ensuring the optimal cleaning and disinfection of ambulances can minimize the potential of bacterial infection for high-risk patients, their relatives, and healthcare providers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens14121301","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]],"date-time":"2025-12-18T11:08:28Z","timestamp":1766056108000},"page":"1301","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Bacterial Contaminants in Ambulances from a Tertiary Care Hospital as Potential Threats to Patients and Medical Staff in Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia\u2014Effect of Decontamination"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5766-4495","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ahmed E.","family":"Taha","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Microbiology and Immunology Unit, Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka City 72388, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia"},{"name":"Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura City 35516, Aldakahlia Governorate, Egypt"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ahmad R.","family":"Alharbi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology Department, Alqwarah General Hospital, Ministry of Health (MOH), Buraydah City 51452, Alqassim, Saudi Arabia"},{"name":"Infection Prevention and Control, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka City 72388, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Omar N.","family":"Alharbi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Emergency Medical Services Department, Alqwarah General Hospital, Ministry of Health (MOH), Buraydah City 51452, Alqassim, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Alaaeldin M.","family":"Komila","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah City 51452, Alqassim, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Abdullah","family":"Almushawwah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah City 51452, Alqassim, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Solaiman","family":"Aldeghaim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah City 51452, Alqassim, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ahmed N.","family":"Algefary","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah City 51452, Alqassim, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Majed","family":"Allahim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah City 51452, Alqassim, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Khalid","family":"Alzaben","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Administration of Forensic Toxicology Services, Forensic Medical Services Center, Ministry of Health (MOH), Buraydah City 51452, Alqassim, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Faisal M.","family":"Alharbi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infection Control Directorate at the Public Health Authority Office, Ministry of Health (MOH), Buraydah City 51452, Alqassim, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"489","DOI":"10.1136\/oemed-2014-102574","article-title":"Occupational injury risk among ambulance officers and paramedics compared with other healthcare workers in Victoria, Australia: Analysis of workers\u2019 compensation claims from 2003 to 2012","volume":"72","author":"Roberts","year":"2015","journal-title":"Occup. 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