Abstract
To determine contamination rates of scrub suits worn by veterinary surgeons and nurses following a single shift. Cross-sectional preliminary study at a UK small animal referral centre. Sterilised scrub suits were distributed to veterinary surgeons (n=9) and nurses (n=9) at the beginning of their clinical shift and worn for at least 8 hours. They were then analysed for bacterial contamination before and after home laundry at 30°C. A questionnaire was distributed to hospital clinical staff regarding workwear habits. Median bacterial counts were 47 (interquartile range: 14 to 162) and 7 (interquartile range: 0 to 27) colony forming units per cm2 before and after laundering scrub suits. Bacteria identified included Staphylococcus sp., Enterococcus sp., Escherichia coli , Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Micrococcus sp., β-haemolytic Streptococci and a Group G Streptococcus. From 101 staff surveyed, 64.0% reported wearing fresh, clean scrub tops and 58.4% fresh, clean trousers each day, while 64.4% left the workplace wearing the same clothing in which they undertook clinical work. Workwear contamination risks spread of pathogens into the community and personnel compliance with workplace guidelines warrants further attention. Home laundry at 30°C significantly decreases, but does not eliminate, the bacterial burden after a single shift.
Highlights
In human medicine, the spread of pathogens outside hospitals and into communities via contaminated health care worker (HCW) uniforms is a major public health concern because of the risk of cross infections with microorganisms resistant to standard cleaning methods and agents (Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths 2008)
Veterinary personnel are identified as a high-risk group for carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and pseudintermedius (MRSA and MRSP); carriers comprise 3.5–17.5% of veterinary staff (Loeffler et al 2010, Singh et al 2013, Worthing et al 2018), compared with 0.95–1.5% of the general population (Abudu et al 2001, Holtfreter et al 2016, Peters et al 2018), Journal of Small Animal Practice
Our findings mirror previous study results (Sanon & Watkins 2012) that bacterial contamination of uniforms occurs during clinical shifts
Summary
The spread of pathogens outside hospitals and into communities via contaminated health care worker (HCW) uniforms is a major public health concern because of the risk of cross infections with microorganisms resistant to standard cleaning methods and agents (Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths 2008). A pilot study in 2012 demonstrated bacteria on nurse uniforms 48 hours after a shift ended, posing a potential risk for patient cross contamination and spread of pathogens to the community (Sanon & Watkins 2012) Countries such as the UK, Belgium and Canada acknowledge and address this problem by prohibiting the wearing of hospital clothing outside the workplace (Conseil Superier d’ Hygiene 2005, Nye et al 2005, Jacob 2007, Treakle et al 2009). There are no specific guidelines for veterinary personnel regarding uniform hygiene
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