The Role Played by Contaminated Surfaces in the Transmission of Nosocomial Pathogens

Abstract

Studies in the 1970s and 1980s suggested that environmental surface contamination played a negligible role in the endemic transmission of healthcare-associated infections. However, recent studies have demonstrated that several major nosocomial pathogens are shed by patients and contaminate hospital surfaces at concentrations sufficient for transmission, survive for extended periods, persist despite attempts to disinfect or remove them, and can be transferred to the hands of healthcare workers. Evidence is accumulating that contaminated surfaces make an important contribution to the epidemic and endemic transmission of Clostridium difficile, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and norovirus and that improved environmental decontamination contributes to the control of outbreaks. Efforts to improve environmental hygiene should include enhancing the efficacy of cleaning and disinfection and reducing the shedding of pathogens. Further high-quality studies are needed to clarify the role played by surfaces in nosocomial transmission and to determine the effectiveness of different interventions in reducing associated infection rates.

Bioaerosol deposition in single and two-bed hospital rooms: A numerical and experimental study

“…Complementary studies have shown that the application of air cleaning technologies can reduce surface contamination [6]; while others have highlighted that environmental contamination, through the deposition on surfaces, cannot be underestimated in the contribution to fomite-based transmission [7,8,9]. That said, the fate of aerial pathogens in indoor environments is still poorly understood and constitutes an area of much controversy and challenging research.…”

Identify and Test the Resistance of Bacteria on Dental Unit Surfaces in Dental Clinic of Dentistry Faculty, Andalas University Padang

“…9 Along with Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, Enterobacteriaceae is family of bacteria which commonly causes diseases to humans, like bacteremia, pneumonia, and hospitalacquired urinary tract infection. 9,12 If it appears on the other places which it is supposed to live, such as in urinary tract, abdomen, blood vessels, prostate gland, pulmonary, bone and meninges, it will cause diseases. 9 The appearance of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae also has widely known in the world of health, but result of resistance test that had done to Enterobacteriaceae in this study was satisfying.…”

“…12 The presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in humid surfaces inhospital means those surfaces needed to be cleaned thoroughly. 9,13 The features of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are widely found in soil and water, also it is usually found in intestine and human skins.…”

“…10 Several supporting studies have identified presence of colonization or infection patients because surfaces of health-care settings, especially in dental offices. 12,15,16 Kurita, Kurashina and Honda have identified the presence of MRSA in surfaces of water-syringe and reclining dental chair. There were 8 of 140 patients which have been treated in those dental chairs was positively got infected or only colonized by meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.15Other study about evaluation of environmental bacterial contamination and procedures to control cross infection in a sample of Italian Dental Surgeries by Monarka et all showed that there were 9,8% Staphylococcus aureus and 13,7%β-hemolyticus Streptococci was found on five instrument trolleys.…”

Hospital Acquired Infection: Bacteriological Profile of Species from Environmental Surfaces of Cotonou 5 Hospital in South Benin (West Africa)

“…The level of Acinetobacter baumannii identified in NFGNB in our study is higher than the 28.57% reported by Liazid (2016) for Tlemcen hospital in Algeria. Acinetobacter baumannii can persist for three days to five months and can survive on dry surfaces (Kramer et al, 2006, Otter et al, 2011. It can cause high mortality, up to 35% (Antunes et al, 2014).…”