Is there a risk for bacterial transmission from surgical marker pens?

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infection Control
• Surgical Safety

Background:

• Preoperative skin marking is a critical step in surgical procedures.
• Surgical markers are frequently reused, raising concerns about bacterial contamination and transmission.
• The potential for microbial spread via skin markers necessitates investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess bacterial contamination levels on reusable preoperative skin markers.
• To identify the types of bacteria present and evaluate for multi-drug resistance (MDR).
• To determine the relationship between marker usage and bacterial load.

Main Methods:

• Bacterial contamination was quantified using sonication and microbial culture.
• Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed on isolated facultative pathogens.
• An accelerated failure time model analyzed the association between contamination and marker fill status.

Main Results:

• Of 45 markers analyzed, 13 showed low bacterial counts (<10 cfu/mL).
• 32 markers exhibited higher bacterial counts, ranging from 10 to 12,500 cfu/mL.
• Three markers were contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus; no MDR bacteria were identified.

Conclusions:

• Reusable skin markers can harbor significant bacterial contamination.
• While MDR was not found, the presence of Staphylococcus aureus is a concern.
• Implementing single-use skin markers is advised to enhance patient safety and reduce infection transmission risk.