Korean J Clin Microbiol.  2009 Mar;12(1):43-47. 10.5145/KJCM.2009.12.1.43.

Nosocomial Infectious Bacterial Contamination onResidents' White Coats and Neckties

• Kim YK
• Kim JS
• Lee HS
• Koo HS
• Kim HS
• Song W
• Park JY
• Lee HR
• Cho HC
• Lee KM

• KMID: 1469969
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5145/KJCM.2009.12.1.43

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Doctors' white coats and neckties can become contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria and have a possibility of causing cross infections. Our objective was to determine the level of bacterial contamination and detect methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and Clostridium difficile present on the white coats and neckties of residents.
METHODS
We sampled 28 long-sleeved white coats and 14 neckties worn by residents. The tested sites for white coats were the cuffs and lower front surfaces, and for neckties, the lower surfaces. Impressions of these sites were taken with the plates containing blood agar (BAP), mannitol salt agar supplemented with oxacillin (6microgram/mL), enterococcus screening agar supplemented with vancomycin (6microgram/mL) and phenyl ethanol agar. The colonies grown on each plate were Gram stained and identified by standard microbiological methods.
RESULTS
Of the 28 white coats, 7 (25.0%) carried MRSA, and of the 14 neckties, 1 (7.1%) carried MRSA. The majority of white coats (96.4%) and all neckties (100.0%) carried methicillin-resistant coagulase negative staphylococci (MRCNS). None of the white coats and neckties carried VRE or C. difficile.
CONCLUSION
Our results showed that white coats and neckties worn by residents were contaminated with MRSA and MRCNS. The preventive measures for clothing-borne cross contamination should be considered, especially when performing invasive procedures or having close contact with patients.

Keyword

White coat; Necktie; Methicillin-resistant S. aureus; Methicillin-resistant coagulase negative staphylococci; Contamination

MeSH Terms

Agar
Bacteria
Clostridium difficile
Coagulase
Cross Infection
Enterococcus
Ethanol
European Continental Ancestry Group
Humans
Mannitol
Mass Screening
Methicillin Resistance
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Oxacillin
Vancomycin
Agar
Coagulase
Ethanol
Mannitol
Oxacillin
Vancomycin

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