AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control
Volume 37, Issue 6 , Pages 447-453 , August 2009

A critical evaluation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria of medical interest on commonly touched household surfaces in relation to household demographics

  • Elizabeth Scott, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Biology, Simmons College Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community, Simmons College, Boston, MA
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to Elizabeth Scott, PhD, Department of Biology, Simmons College, 300 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115.
    • ,
  • Susan Duty, RN, ScD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Nursing, Simmons College Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community, Simmons College, Boston, MA
    • ,
  • Karen McCue, BS

      Affiliations

    • Reckitt Benckiser Inc, Montvale, NJ

References 

  1. Scott E. Bacterial biocontamination in residential settings. Encyclopedia of environmental microbiology. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 2002;
  2. Kagan LJ, Aiello AE, Larson E. The role of the home environment in the transmission of infectious diseases. J Community Health. 2002;27:247–268
  3. Scott EA. Hygiene issues in the home. Am J Infect Control. 1999;27:22–25
  4. Scott E, Gaber DJ, Cusack TM. Chemical disinfection of microbial contaminants on surfaces. In: Block S. Disinfection, sterilization and preservation. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
  5. Bogaert D, van Belkum M, Sluijter M, Luijendijk A, de Groot R, Rumke HC, et al. Colonization by Streptococcus pneumoniae and MSSA in health children. Lancet. 2004;363:1871–1872
  6. Farjo RS, Foxman B, Patel MJ, Zhang L, Pettigrew MM, McCoy SI, et al. Diversity and sharing of Haemophilus influenzae strains and colonizing healthy children attending day-care centers. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2004;23:41–46
  7. Regev-Yochar G, Raz M, Dagan R, Porat N, Shainberg B, Pinco E, et al. Nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae by adults and children in community and family settings. Clin Infect Dis. 2004;38:632–639
  8. Uhari M, Mottonen M. An open randomized controlled trial of infection prevention in child day care centers. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1999;18:672–677
  9. Bolyard EA, Tablan O, Walter W, Pearson M, Shapiro C, Deitchman S. Guideline for infection control in health personnel. Am J Infect Control. 1998;26:298–354
  10. Nye K, Leggett VA, Watterson L. Provision and decontamination of uniforms in the NHS. Nurs Stand. 2005;19:41–45
  11. Bloomfield SF, Cookson B, Falkiner F, Griffith C, Cleary, V. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile, and ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in the home and community: assessing the problem, controlling the spread. 2006. Available from http://www.ifh-homehygiene.org/2003/2library/MRSA_expert_report.pdf. Accessed January 18, 2008.
  12. Scott E, Duty S, Callahan M. A pilot study to isolate Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S aureus from from environmental surfaces in the home. Am J Infect Control. 2008;36:458–460
  13. Cole EC, Addison RM, Rubino JR, Leese KE, Dulaney PD, Newell MS, et al. Investigation of antibiotic and antibacterial cross-resistance in bacteria of medical interest from homes of antibacterial users and nonusers. J Appl Microbiol. 2003;95:664–676
  14. Scott E, Bloomfield SF, Barlow CG. An investigation of microbial contamination in the home. J Hyg (Cambridge). 1982;89:279–293
  15. Masterson RG, Coia JE, Notman AW, Kempton-Smith L, Cookson BD. Refractory MRSA carriage associated with contamination of the home environment. Letter to the editor. J Hosp Infect. 1995;25:318–319
  16. Bloomfield SF, Scott EA. Developing an effective policy for home hygiene: a risk-based approach. Int J Environ Health Res. 2003;13:S57–S66

 Supported by ReckittBenckiser and by a HSPH-NIOSH Education and Research Center Pilot Project Grant T42 OH008416-01.

 Conflicts of interest: None to report.

PII: S0196-6553(09)00044-3

doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2008.12.001

AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control
Volume 37, Issue 6 , Pages 447-453 , August 2009

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