Simon D Eiref1, I Michael Leitman, William Riley. 1. Department of Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York 10003, USA. seiref@chpnet.org
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizers are an increasingly popular method of hand hygiene and help prevent hospital-acquired infection (HAI). Whether hand sanitizer dispensers (HSDs) may themselves harbor pathogens or act as fomites has not been reported. METHODS: All HSDs in the surgical intensive care unit of an urban teaching hospital were cultured at three sites: The dispenser lever, the rear underside, and the area surrounding the dispensing nozzle. RESULTS: All HSDs yielded one or more bacterial species, including commensal skin flora and enteric gram-negative bacilli. Colonization was greatest on the lever, where there is direct hand contact. CONCLUSION: Hand sanitizer dispensers can become contaminated with pathogens that cause HAI and thus are potential fomites.
BACKGROUND: Waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizers are an increasingly popular method of hand hygiene and help prevent hospital-acquired infection (HAI). Whether hand sanitizer dispensers (HSDs) may themselves harbor pathogens or act as fomites has not been reported. METHODS: All HSDs in the surgical intensive care unit of an urban teaching hospital were cultured at three sites: The dispenser lever, the rear underside, and the area surrounding the dispensing nozzle. RESULTS: All HSDs yielded one or more bacterial species, including commensal skin flora and enteric gram-negative bacilli. Colonization was greatest on the lever, where there is direct hand contact. CONCLUSION: Hand sanitizer dispensers can become contaminated with pathogens that cause HAI and thus are potential fomites.
Authors: Sarah E Lauterbach; Sarah W Nelson; Alison M Martin; Michele M Spurck; Dimitria A Mathys; Dixie F Mollenkopf; Jacqueline M Nolting; Thomas E Wittum; Andrew S Bowman Journal: Prev Vet Med Date: 2020-08-01 Impact factor: 2.670
Authors: J A Hammerl; P Lasch; A Nitsche; P W Dabrowski; H Hahmann; A Wicke; S Kleta; S Al Dahouk; R Dieckmann Journal: Genome Announc Date: 2015-07-23