Abstract
The presence of Acanthamoeba and select clinically relevant bacteria contribute immensely to acquiring hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in hospitals globally. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has emphasized the following organisms: Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. These organisms are collectively referred to as 'ESKAPE" organisms, mainly due to their infamous resistance to antibiotics, which serve as the standard primary treatment line against the HAIs they are known to cause. The interaction of amoeba and these organisms has been documented as playing an under-reported but significant role in their pathogenicity (Boyce, 2017). Children are generally at a higher risk of contracting HAIs because of their immune immaturity that is naturally worsened by pre-existing medical conditions (Brooks and Mias, 2018). Acanthamoeba and other harmful pathogens have been isolated in water, soil, air, humans, and animals. The exposure risk for acquiring Healthcare-associated infections is directly linked to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices by healthcare workers, patients, and visitors that they come into physical contact with...
M.Tech. (Environmental Health)