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Contamination of gowns, gloves, and stethoscopes with vancomycin-resistant enterococci
K C Zachary1, P S Bayne, V J Morrison
1Infectious Disease Division Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114-2696, USA.
Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
|December 6, 2001
Summary
Healthcare workers frequently contaminate gowns, gloves, and stethoscopes with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) during patient exams. Alcohol wiping effectively decontaminates stethoscopes, reducing VRE transmission risk.
Area of Science:
- Infection Control
- Microbiology
- Healthcare Epidemiology
Background:
- Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) pose a significant threat in healthcare settings.
- Understanding transmission routes is crucial for preventing VRE spread.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the direct rate of contamination of personal protective equipment and stethoscopes with VRE during routine patient examinations.
- To assess the effectiveness of alcohol wipes in decontaminating stethoscopes.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study conducted in a tertiary-care hospital involving 49 patients colonized or infected with VRE.
- Sampling of examiner gloves, gowns, and stethoscopes after patient contact using specialized agar plates.
- Post-cleaning sampling of stethoscopes after disinfection with 70% isopropanol wipes.
Main Results:
- VRE contamination was detected on at least one item (gloves, gowns, stethoscope) in 67% of examinations.
- Gloves showed the highest contamination rate (63%), followed by gowns (37%) and stethoscopes (31%).
- Alcohol wiping significantly reduced stethoscope contamination to 2%.
Conclusions:
- Routine patient examinations lead to a high rate of VRE contamination for healthcare personnel.
- Patients with unknown VRE colonization status can contribute to VRE dissemination.
- Standard alcohol disinfection protocols are effective for stethoscopes.