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Hospital privacy curtains are frequently and rapidly contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria
Michael Ohl1, Marin Schweizer, Maggie Graham
1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA. michael.ohl@va.gov
Background:
Privacy curtains are a potentially important site of bacterial contamination in hospitals. We performed a longitudinal study to determine the prevalence and time course of bacterial contamination on privacy curtains.
Methods:
Over a 3-week period, swab cultures (n = 180) were obtained twice weekly from the leading edge of 43 curtains in 30 rooms in 2 intensive care units and a medical ward. Curtains were marked to determine when they were changed. Contamination with Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA), Enterococcus spp, vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE), or aerobic gram-negative rods was determined by standard microbiologic methods. To distinguish persistence of pathogens on curtains from recontamination, all VRE and MRSA were typed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.
Results:
Twelve of 13 curtains (92%) placed during the study showed contamination within 1 week. Forty-one of 43 curtains (95%) demonstrated contamination on at least 1 occasion, including 21% with MRSA and 42% with VRE. Eight curtains yielded VRE at multiple time points: 3 with persistence of a single isolate type and 5 with different types, suggesting frequent recontamination.
Conclusion:
Privacy curtains are rapidly contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria. Further studies should investigate the role of privacy curtains in pathogen transmission and provide interventions to reduce curtain contamination.
Insights
Hospital privacy curtains quickly become contaminated with bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE). This highlights curtains as a potential source for pathogen transmission in healthcare settings.
Area of Science:
- Infection Control
- Hospital Epidemiology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Privacy curtains in hospitals are a potential reservoir for bacterial contamination.
- Understanding the contamination dynamics of these surfaces is crucial for infection prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and timeline of bacterial contamination on hospital privacy curtains.
- To identify specific pathogens colonizing privacy curtains over time.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study was conducted over 3 weeks, collecting swab cultures from 43 privacy curtains twice weekly.
- Cultures were analyzed for Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA), Enterococcus spp. (including VRE), and aerobic gram-negative rods.
- Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was used to differentiate between pathogen persistence and recontamination.
Main Results:
- 92% of new curtains showed contamination within one week.
- 95% of all curtains were contaminated at some point, with 21% positive for MRSA and 42% for VRE.
- Eight curtains had VRE at multiple time points, indicating both persistence and frequent recontamination.
Conclusions:
- Hospital privacy curtains are rapidly contaminated with pathogenic bacteria.
- These findings underscore the need for further research into the role of privacy curtains in pathogen transmission.
- Interventions to reduce bacterial contamination on privacy curtains are warranted.
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