Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T04:15:32.970Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A Randomized Crossover Trial to Decrease Bacterial Contamination on Hospital Scrubs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2016

Mallory A. Boutin
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Kerri A. Thom
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Min Zhan
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
J. Kristie Johnson*
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
*
University of Maryland School of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 South Greene Street, Room N2W69, Baltimore, Maryland 21201 ([email protected]).

Abstract

Healthcare worker attire may become contaminated with pathogenic organisms during a normal shift. We performed a randomized crossover study to assess whether treatment with an antimicrobial coating would decrease bacterial contamination on scrubs. Thirty percent of all scrubs were contaminated; there was no difference in the rate of contamination between the intervention and control groups

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;35(11):1411–1413

Type
Concise Communication
Copyright
© 2014 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved.

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. Wiener-Well, Y, Galuty, M, Rudensky, B, Schlesinger, Y, Attias, D, Yinnon, AM. Nursing and physician attire as possible source of nosocomial infections. Am J Infect Control 2011;39(7):555559.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Performance Standards for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. Wayne, PA: CLSI, 2012.Google Scholar
4. Magiorakos, AP, Srinivasan, A, Carey, RB, et al. Multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant and pandrug-resistant bacteria: an international expert proposal for interim standard definitions for acquired resistance. Clin Microbiol Infect 2012;18: 268281.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Bearman, GML, Rosato, A, Elam, K, et al. A crossover trial of antimicrobial scrubs to reduce methicillin-resistant S. aureus burden on healthcare worker apparel. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012;33(3):268275.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Burden, M, Keniston, A, Frank, MG, et al. Bacterial contamination of healthcare workers’ uniforms: a randomized controlled trial of antimicrobial scrubs. J Hosp Med 2013;8(7):380385.Google Scholar
7. Mariscal, A, Lopez-Gigosos, RM, Carnero-Varo, M, Fernandez-Crehuet, J. Antimicrobial effect of medical textiles containing bioactive fibres. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2011;30:227232.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Tavaria, FK, Soares, JC, Reis, IL, Paulo, MH, Malcata, FX, Pintado, ME. Chitosan: antimicrobial action upon staphylococci after impregnation onto cotton fabric. J Appl Microbiol 2012;112(5):10341041.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Selvam, S, Rajiv Gandhi, R, Suresh, J, Gowri, S, Ravikumar, S, Sundrarajan, M. Antibacterial effect of novel synthesized sulfated β-cyclodextrin crosslinked cotton fabric and its improved antibacterial activities with ZnO, TiO2 and Ag nanoparticles coating. Int J Pharm 2012;434(1–2):366374.Google Scholar
10. Schweizer, M, Graham, M, Ohl, M, Heilmann, K, Boyken, L, Diekema, D. Novel hospital curtains with antimicrobial properties: a randomized, controlled trial. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012;33(11):10811085.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed