Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus and Staphylococcus Aureus Surveillance of Medical Working Environment

Chih-Hao Chang ； Jen-Tai Wang ； Cheng-Chin Ker ； Shing-Yuan Chen ； Chih-Kuang Liu ； Shih-Liang Shih ； Ya-Ting Yang ； Sheng-Mou Hou

《Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery Taiwan》 26卷3期 (2009/09) Pp. 144-151

並列摘要

Introduction: This study aimed to examine the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus aureus (SA) in the medical environment and healthcare workers.
Materials: A prospective study was conducted in 4 wards in 2 hospitals for 10 months. Medical environments and healthcare workers were sampling every two weeks. General surgical ward and orthopedic ward are included in each hospital. Every ward was sampling for 26 sites and every healthcare worker was sampling for nasopharyngeal cavity, both hands and sleeves of the working uniform. The swab samples were tested for MRSA and SA.
Results: In the environment survey, the most frequent 6 sites of positive culture are desk surface of writing charts, telephone handset, shift report, side rails, nursing station countertops, and computer mouse. In the healthcare workers, the positive culture rate in nasopharyngeal cavity is 4.3% for MRSA and 12.5% for SA in all samples. The positive culture rate of hands and sleeves are rather low, less than 0.5%.
Conclusion: This study reveals widespread contamination of the hospital environment with SA and MRSA. We must highlight the complexity of the problem of contamination. We emphasize the need for more effective and efficient methods to lower the contamination and clean the hospital environment. Regular checkup of the medical environment is crucial essential because there are many contaminated sites are out of imagination.

並列關鍵字

nosocomial infection ； patient safety ； clean care plan ； MRSA