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Colonization of Personal Digital Assistants Carried by Healthcare Professionals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Ali Hassoun ,
Ernestine M. Vellozzi  and
Miriam A. Smith
Ali Hassoun
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York
Ernestine M. Vellozzi
Affiliation:
Division of Microbiology, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York
Miriam A. Smith*
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York
*
Division of Infectious Diseases—Staff House Room 226, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, 270-05 76th Avenue, New Hyde Park, NY 11040
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Abstract

This study evaluated personal digital assistant (PDA) microbial colonization before and after cleaning with alcohol. Samples from 75 PDAs were processed. Before cleaning, 96% of the samples were culture positive. After cleaning, 75% became culture negative. PDAs cleaned with an alcohol swab demonstrated significant reduction in colonization.

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 25 , Issue 11 , November 2004 , pp. 1000 - 1001
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2004

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