We’ve always said that the hospital is no place to be if you’re sick – and new research suggests you should think twice about surgeries and patient rooms, too. Nearly half are rife with a drug-resistant ‘superbug’.
The bug, multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB), has been found on doorknobs, bedrails, bedside tables, monitors, switches, sinks and the floors around beds in patient rooms.
In all, 48 per cent of the surgeries examined were contaminated from previous patients who were infected, say researchers from the Maryland School of Medicine.
The worst contamination was on surfaces regularly touched by staff, such as cart drawer handles and medical equipment. Staff who do not observe rigorous hygiene procedures could be causing contamination in the general population outside the surgery setting.
MDR-AB usually infects the very ill, the wounded or those who are immuno-compromised.
(Source: American Journal of Infection Control, 2011; 39: 711).
What do you think? Start a conversation over on the... WDDTY Community
