Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2025
Safety Precautions and Operating Procedures in an ABSL-4 Laboratory: 3. Aerobiology
Published on: October 3, 2016
Risk of organism acquisition from prior room occupants: An updated systematic review
Brett G Mitchell1, Julee McDonagh2, Stephanie J Dancer3
1Central Coast Local Health District, Gosford Hospital, NSW, Australia; School of Nursing, Avondale University, Lake Macquarie, NSW, Australia; Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: https://twitter.com/1healthau.
Background:
Evidence from a previous systematic review indicates that patients admitted to a room where the previous occupant had a multidrug-resistant bacterial infection resulted in an increased risk of subsequent colonisation and infection with the same organism for the next room occupant. In this paper, we have sought to expand and update this review.
Methods:
A systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken. A search using Medline/PubMed, Cochrane and CINHAL databases was conducted. Risk of bias was assessed by the ROB-2 tool for randomised control studies and ROBIN-I for non-randomised studies.
Results:
From 5175 identified, 12 papers from 11 studies were included in the review for analysis. From 28,299 patients who were admitted into a room where the prior room occupant had any of the organisms of interest, 651 (2.3%) were shown to acquire the same species of organism. In contrast, 981,865 patients were admitted to a room where the prior occupant did not have an organism of interest, 3818 (0.39%) acquired an organism(s). The pooled acquisition odds ratio (OR) for all the organisms across all studies was 2.45 (95% CI: 1.53-3.93]. There was heterogeneity between the studies (I2 89%, P < 0.001).
Conclusion:
The pooled OR for all the pathogens in this latest review has increased since the original review. Findings from our review provide some evidence to help inform a risk management approach when determining patient room allocation. The risk of pathogen acquisition appears to remain high, supporting the need for continued investment in this area.
Insights
Patients in rooms previously occupied by individuals with multidrug-resistant bacteria face a higher risk of acquiring these infections. This updated review confirms the persistent threat and emphasizes the need for continued infection control investments.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Previous reviews indicated increased risk of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) acquisition from contaminated patient rooms.
- This study expands and updates existing evidence on the transmission of MDROs between hospital room occupants.
Approach:
- A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using Medline/PubMed, Cochrane, and CINHAL databases.
- Risk of bias was assessed using ROB-2 and ROBIN-I tools for included studies.
Key Points:
- 12 studies including 28,299 patients were analyzed.
- Patients in rooms previously occupied by an MDRO-positive individual had a 2.3% acquisition rate versus 0.39% in uncontaminated rooms.
- The pooled odds ratio for pathogen acquisition was 2.45 (95% CI: 1.53-3.93), indicating a significantly increased risk.
Conclusions:
- The pooled odds ratio for pathogen acquisition has increased since the prior review.
- Findings support risk management strategies for patient room allocation.
- The high risk of pathogen acquisition underscores the need for ongoing investment in infection prevention.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
01:26Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:17Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
01:20Infection
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
01:26Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...