High-Touch, High-Risk: An Exploratory Microbiome Analysis of Hospital Wheelchairs

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Environmental Health
• Infection Control

Background:

• Hospital wheelchairs are essential mobility aids but can harbor microorganisms.
• Routine sanitation may not fully eliminate microbial contamination on wheelchair surfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize microbial DNA and biomass on hospital wheelchairs using shotgun metagenomic sequencing.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a protective barrier in reducing wheelchair contamination.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative analysis of microbial DNA and biomass on leather and fabric wheelchairs.
• Shotgun metagenomic sequencing (Illumina and Oxford Nanopore) on pooled samples.
• Evaluation of a protective barrier's efficacy in reducing microbial load.

Main Results:

• Microbial DNA and biomass were detected on all wheelchair surfaces, with variability observed.
• Next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed diverse microbial communities, including opportunistic pathogens.
• Fabric wheelchairs showed distinct microbial compositions compared to leather.
• The protective barrier reduced microbial DNA concentration, cell counts, and OD600 by 98-100%.

Conclusions:

• Hospital wheelchairs can harbor substantial microbial contamination despite cleaning protocols.
• A protective barrier demonstrates significant potential for reducing microbial load on wheelchairs.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these findings.