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Contamination of Hands with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus after Contact with Environmental Surfaces and after Contact with the Skin of Colonized Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Usha Stiefel ,
Jennifer L. Cadnum ,
Brittany C. Eckstein ,
Dubert M. Guerrero ,
Mary Ann Tima  and
Curtis J. Donskey
Usha Stiefel
Affiliation:
Research Service, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio Infectious Diseases Section, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Jennifer L. Cadnum
Affiliation:
Research Service, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Brittany C. Eckstein
Affiliation:
Research Service, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Dubert M. Guerrero
Affiliation:
Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Mary Ann Tima
Affiliation:
Research Service, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Curtis J. Donskey*
Affiliation:
Infectious Diseases Section, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio
*
Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 10701 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44106 ([email protected])
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Abstract

In a study of 40 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriers, hand contamination was equally likely after contact with commonly examined skin sites and commonly touched environmental surfaces in patient rooms (40% vs 45%). These findings suggest that contaminated surfaces may be an important source of MRSA transmission.

Type
Concise Communication
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 32 , Issue 2 , February 2011 , pp. 185 - 187
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2011

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References

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