Adhesive tape: potential source of nosocomial bacteria

During a 7-day period, a variety of bacteria, including opportunistic ones, were recovered from 23 rolls of adhesive tape being used in a 16-bed intensive care unit. All rolls of tape were sterile when received from the manufacturer. Mixed flora was recovered from a total of 15 rolls, whereas eight rolls yielded pure cultures. Organisms recovered included Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and various species of Enterobacteriaceae. Although no illness or infection arising directly from contaminated adhesive tape has been documented, we feel that a potential source of infection has been identified. Most important is the fact that such tape may contaminate the hands of personnel who handle it. Also, the adhesive tape may directly contaminate a patient since it is widely used to secure artificial airways and various drainage tubes which results in the tape coming into close contact with the mucous membranes lining the patient's respiratory and urogenital tracts.