Objective: Little is known about the short-term dynamics of methicillin-resistant (MRSA) transmission between patients and their immediate environment. We conducted a real-life microbiological evaluation of environmental MRSA contamination in hospital rooms in relation to recent patient activity.
Design: Observational pilot study.
Setting: Two hospitals, hospital 1 in Zurich, Switzerland, and hospital 2 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.
Patients: Inpatients with MRSA colonization or infection.
Methods: At baseline, the groin, axilla, nares, dominant hands of 10 patients and 6 environmental high-touch surfaces in their rooms were sampled. Cultures were then taken of the patient hand and high-touch surfaces 3 more times at 90-minute intervals. After each swabbing, patients' hands and surfaces were disinfected. Patient activity was assessed by interviews at hospital 1 and analysis of video footage at hospital 2. A contamination pressure score was created by multiplying the number of colonized body sites with the activity level of the patient.
Results: In total, 10 patients colonized and/or infected with MRSA were enrolled; 40 hand samples and 240 environmental samples were collected. At baseline, 30% of hands and 20% of high-touch surfaces yielded MRSA. At follow-up intervals, 8 (27%) of 30 patient hands, and 10 (6%) of 180 of environmental sites were positive. Activity of the patient explained 7 of 10 environmental contaminations. Patients with higher contamination pressure score showed a trend toward higher environmental contamination.
Conclusion: Environmental MRSA contamination in patient rooms was highly dynamic and was likely driven by the patient's MRSA body colonization pattern and the patient activity.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/ice.2021.350 | DOI Listing |
Adv Healthc Mater
January 2025
Laboratory for Biointerfaces, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, St. Gallen, 9014, Switzerland.
Surface-mediated transmission of pathogens plays a key role in healthcare-associated infections. However, proper techniques for its quantitative analysis are lacking, making it challenging to develop novel antimicrobial and anti-fouling surfaces to reduce pathogen spread via environmental surfaces. This study demonstrates a gelatin hydrogel-based touch transfer test, the HydroTouch test, to evaluate pathogen transmission on high-touch surfaces under semi-dry conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Infect Control
December 2024
Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA, USA. Electronic address:
Background: Healthcare staff utilize equipment that can travel from patient room to patient room. Additionally, nursing and environmental services staff may not always communicate clearly regarding cleaning. The purpose of this study was to identify if a portable UV-C tent utilized with a UV-C device (Xenex® LightStrike™ Robot) can effectively disinfect high use equipment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInfect Dis Health
December 2024
Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia; Medical School, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Background: Children spend almost one-third of their waking hours at school. Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) is a common childhood bacterial infection that can progress to causing serious disease. We aimed to detect Strep A in classrooms by using environmental settle plates and swabbing of high-touch surfaces in two remote schools in the Kimberley, Western Australia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGMS Hyg Infect Control
November 2024
Institut of Hospital Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany.
In terms of infection control, environmental cleaning is critical in nursing homes, including long term care facilities. According to the statement of the Commission of Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention (KRINKO) at the Robert Koch Institute Berlin on the requirements for disinfectants in these areas, procedures should be used that have been certified by the Association for Applied Hygiene (VAH) for the necessary spectrum of efficacy (or are listed accordingly in the disinfectant list of the Robert Koch Institute). Since ozone is a powerfully oxidizing gas with high inhalation toxicity, the conditions of ap-plication and the measures for occupational safety - including ensuring that the limit value in indoor air is not exceeded when handling and using the product -, must be declared by the manufacturer and observed by the staff to exclude toxic long-term hazard.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
December 2024
Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy.
The development of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) represents an increasing threat to patient health. In this context, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is responsible for various HAIs, determining about 20% of the infections in hospitalized patients, which makes it one of the most effective pathogens due to its strong ability to form biofilms. Using Cu-based materials as foils on high-touch surfaces can help to prevent and mitigate P.
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