Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-qsmjn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T15:22:58.777Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sink flora in a long-stay hospital is determined by the patients' oral and rectal flora

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

Hendrik K. F. Van Saene ,
Jeannet C. Van Putte ,
Joris J. M. Van Saene ,
Thomas W. Van De Gronde  and
Eduard G. A. Van Warmerdam
Hendrik K. F. Van Saene
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Liverpoo, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
Jeannet C. Van Putte
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Dispensing, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, The Netherlands
Joris J. M. Van Saene
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Dispensing, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AW Groningen, The Netherlands
Thomas W. Van De Gronde
Affiliation:
Long Stay Hospital Innersdyk, Ypemaheerd 2a, 9736 MA Groningen, The Netherlands
Eduard G. A. Van Warmerdam
Affiliation:
Long Stay Hospital Innersdyk, Ypemaheerd 2a, 9736 MA Groningen, The Netherlands
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Sinks in a new long-stay hospital (LSH) were cultured weekly during 4 consecutive months to evaluate the microbial profile before and after occupancy of the hospital. From the elderly patients admitted to the patient care rooms oral and rectal specimens were collected to examine the contribution of the patients' flora to the sink contamination. Isolates were typed biochemically, serologically and by susceptibility pattern. Before occupancy Gram-negative bacilli were not isolated. Once the elderly patients, who were highly colonized on admission, occupied their rooms identical strains gradually contaminated the sinks. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter species were the major correlating strains. The mean concentration of the correlating isolates was higher in throat and intestines compared to the mean concentration of the non- correlating strains. These strains seem to have a greater chance to be shed and then transferred via the hands of personnel to sinks. This resport shows that the major route of environmental contamination is from patient carriers to sinks, and not the reverse way.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 102 , Issue 2 , April 1989 , pp. 231 - 238
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

References

REFERENCES

Brown, R. B., Hosmer, D., Chen, H. C., Teres, D., Sands, M., Bradley, S., Opitz, E., Swedziuski, D. & Opalenik, D. (1985). A comparison of infections in different ICUs within the same hospital. Critical Care Medicine 13, 472–476.Google Scholar
Burnie, J.P. (1986). Candida and hands. Journal of Hospital Infection 8, 1–3.Google Scholar
Garibaldi, R. A., Brodine, S. & Matsumiya, S. (1981). Infections among patients in nursing homes. Policies, prevalence, and problems. New England Journal of Medicine 305, 731–735.Google Scholar
Harris, D. M., Orwin, J. M., Colquhoun, J. & Schroeder, H. G. (1969). Control of cross- infection in an intensive care unit. Journal of Hygiene 67, 525–532.Google Scholar
Levin, M. H., Olson, B., Nathan, C., Kabins, S. A. & Weinstein, R. A. (1984). Pseudomonas in the sinks in an intensive care unit: relation to patients. Journal of Clinical Pathology 37, 424–427.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mart, D. G. (1978). Control of colonization and transmission of pathogenic bacteria in the hospital. Annals of Internal Medicine 89, 777–780.Google Scholar
Maki, D. G., Alvarado, C. J., Hassemer, C. A. & Zilz, M. A. (1982). Relation of the inanimate hospital environment to endemic nosocomial infection. New England Journal of Medicine 307, 1562–1566.Google Scholar
Nicolle, L. E., McIntyre, M., Zacharias, H. & Macdonell, J. A. (1984). Twelve-month surveillance of infections in institutionalized elderly men. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 32, 513–519.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nicolle, L. E., McLeod, J., McIntyre, M. & MacDonell, J. A. (1986). Significance of pharyngeal colonization with aerobic Gram-negative bacilli in elderly institutionalized man. Age and Ageing 5, 47–52.Google Scholar
Phair, J. P., Kauffman, C.A. & Bjornson, A. (1978). Investigation of host defense mechanisms in the aged as determinants of nosocomial colonization and pneumonia. Journal of the Reticuloendothelial Society 23, 397–405.Google Scholar
Rockstein, M. (1968). The biological aspects of ageing. Gerontologist 8, 124–125.Google Scholar
Tinne, J. E., Gordon, A. M., Bain, W. H. & Mackey, W. A. (1967). Cross-infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a hazard of intensive surgery. British Medical Journal 4, 313–315.Google Scholar
Van Saene, H. K. F., Stoutenbeek, C. P., Miranda, D. R. & Zandstra, D. F. (1983). A novel approach to infection control in the intensive care unit. Acta Anaesthesiologica Belgica 34, 193–208.Google ScholarPubMed