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Bacterial carriage by artificial versus natural nails
J Pottinger1, S Burns, C Manske
1Veterans Administration Medical Center, Sioux Falls, SD 57117.
American Journal of Infection Control
|December 1, 1989
Summary
Artificial nails worn by healthcare workers may increase the risk of spreading gram-negative rods, a common cause of hospital infections. Further consideration of artificial nail use in healthcare settings is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Infection Control
- Microbiology
- Healthcare Epidemiology
Background:
- Healthcare workers often adopt fashion trends, including wearing artificial nails.
- The impact of artificial nails on infection control practices and pathogen transmission remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between artificial nails and the microbial flora on the fingertips of nurses.
- To assess the implications of artificial nails for infection control in healthcare settings.
Main Methods:
- Collected cultures from the fingertips of 56 nurses with artificial nails and 56 nurses with natural nails.
- Samples were obtained both before and after standard handwashing procedures.
- Microbial analysis focused on quantifying colony-forming units (CFUs) of different bacterial types.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher numbers of gram-negative rods were cultured from the fingertips of nurses wearing artificial nails post-handwashing.
- No significant differences were observed in the carriage of gram-positive cocci or normal flora between the two groups.
- Handwashing efficacy may be compromised in the presence of artificial nails for certain bacterial types.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare workers using artificial nails may have an increased risk of carrying gram-negative rods.
- Given the prevalence of nosocomial infections caused by gram-negative rods, the use of artificial nails warrants careful consideration.
- Recommendations for infection control protocols should address the potential risks associated with artificial nail use.