Facial microbial flora in bearded versus nonbearded men in the operating room setting: A single-center cross-sectional STROBE-compliant observational study

Beards are controversial in the operating room setting because of the possible retention and shedding of pathogens. Surgical site infection poses a significant burden on healthcare systems. All male healthcare workers who entered the operating room were approached to participate in the study. Four facial swab samples were anonymously collected and a hygiene practice questionnaire was administered. Sample A was taken from the upper and lower lips, sample B from cheeks, and samples C and D were collected by 20 and 40 cm shedding below the face. Colony-forming units (CFUs) and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of meropenem resistance were determined for samples A and B. Random samples from A, B, C, and D, in addition to meropenem-resistant isolates were cultured with chlorohexidine. Sixty-one bearded and 19 nonbearded healthcare workers participated in the study. 98% were positive for bacterial growth with CFU ranging between 30 × 10(4) and 200 × 10(6) CFU/mL. Bacterial growth was significantly higher in bearded participants (P < .05). Eighteen (27.1%) isolates were resistant to meropenem; of these which 14 (77.8%) were from bearded participants, this was not statistically significant. Chlorohexidine was effective in inhibiting the growth of all strains including the meropenem-resistant isolates. Bearded men in the operating room had a significantly higher facial bacterial load. Larger-scale resistance studies are needed to address facial bacterial resistance among healthcare workers in the operating room. This study aimed to estimate the facial microbial load and identify strains and antimicrobial resistance profiles in bearded versus nonbearded male healthcare workers in the operating room of a tertiary hospital in the Middle East.