Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-hvd4g Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-08T18:38:46.323Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Acquisition of Nosocomial Pathogens on Hands After Contact With Environmental Surfaces Near Hospitalized Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Anita Bhalla ,
Nicole J. Pultz ,
Delores M. Gries ,
Amy J. Ray ,
Elizabeth C. Eckstein ,
David C. Aron  and
Curtis J. Donskey
Anita Bhalla
Affiliation:
Infectious Diseases Division, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio
Nicole J. Pultz
Affiliation:
Infectious Diseases Section, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Delores M. Gries
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington, Cleveland, Ohio
Amy J. Ray
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, University Hospitals of Cleveland
Elizabeth C. Eckstein
Affiliation:
Infection Control Department, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
David C. Aron
Affiliation:
Center for Quality Improvement Research, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Curtis J. Donskey*
Affiliation:
Infectious Diseases Section, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio Infection Control Department, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
*
Infectious Diseases Section, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 4410
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We examined the frequency of acquisition of bacterial pathogens on investigators' hands after contacting environmental surfaces near hospitalized patients. Hand imprint cultures were positive for one or more pathogens after contacting surfaces near 34 (53%) of 64 study patients, with Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus being the most common isolates.

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , February 2004 , pp. 164 - 167
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Boyce, JM, Pittet, D. Guideline for hand hygiene in health-care settings: recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2002;23(suppl):S3–S40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Ray, AJ, Hoyen, CK, Das, SM, Taub, TF, Eckstein, EC, Donskey, CJ. Nosocomial transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococci from surfaces. JAMA 2002;287:1400–1401.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Boyce, JM, Potter-Bynoe, G, Chenevert, C, King, T. Environmental contamination due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) : possible infection control implications. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1997;18:622–627.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Pittet, D, Dharan, S, Touveneau, S, Sauvan, V, Perneger, TV. Bacterial contamination of the hands of hospital staff during routine patient care. Arch Intern Med 1999;159:821–826.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC). Recommendations for preventing the spread of vancomycin resistance. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1995;16:105–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Methods for Dilution Antimicrobial Susceptibility Tests for Bacteria That Grow Aerobically. Wayne, PA: National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards; 1993. Approved standard M7-A3.Google Scholar
7.Rhame, FS. The inanimate environment. In: Bennett, JV, Brachman, PS, eds. Hospital Infections, ed. 4. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven; 1998:299–324.Google Scholar
8.Muto, CA, Jernigan, JA, Ostrowsky, BE, et al.SHEA guideline for preventing nosocomial transmission of multidrug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2003;24:362–386.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Ray, AJ, Hoyen, CK, Das, SM, Eckstein, EC, Donskey, CJ. Undetected vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus stool colonization in a Veterans Affairs Hospital using a Clostridium difficile-focused surveillance strategy. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2002;23:474–477.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Sample, ML, Gravel, D, Oxley, C, Toye, B, Garber, G, Ramotar, K. An out-break of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in a hematology-oncology unit: control by patient cohorting and terminal cleaning of the environment. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2002;23:468–470.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Falk, PS, Winnike, J, Woodmansee, C, Desai, M, Mayhall, CG. Outbreak of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in a burn unit. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2000;21:575–582.CrossRefGoogle Scholar