Staphylococcal epidemiology on a surgical ward. Fluctuations in ward staphylococcal content, its effect on hospitalized patients and the extent of endemic hospital strains.

Abstract

CONSIDERABLE effort is being expended to control postoperative complications secondary to the staphylococcus, as the large number of articles in the current medical literature indicates. These articles deal with a number of problems, many indicating the presence of an epidemic or endemic strain of staphylococci. However, the literature contains little evidence of the exact reservoir of endemic or epidemic strains. The question arises, Is it the ward physical plant (walls, floors, drapes, treatment rooms, clean-up rooms and so forth) or is it the patient already infected with or carrying the epidemic or endemic strain that is the exact reservoir? It . . .