Background
Patient-to-patient transmission of nosocomial pathogens has been linked to transient
colonization of health care workers, and studies have suggested that contamination
of health care workers' clothing, including white coats, may be a vector for this
transmission.
Methods
We performed a cross-sectional study involving attendees of medical and surgical grand
rounds at a large teaching hospital to investigate the prevalence of contamination
of white coats with important nosocomial pathogens, such as methicillin-sensitive
Stapylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Each participant completed a
brief survey and cultured his or her white coat using a moistened culture swab on
lapels, pockets, and cuffs.
Results
Among the 149 grand rounds attendees' white coats, 34 (23%) were contaminated with
S aureus, of which 6 (18%) were MRSA. None of the coats was contaminated with VRE. S aureus contamination was more prevalent in residents, those working in inpatient settings,
and those who saw an inpatient that day.
Conclusion
This study suggests that a large proportion of health care workers' white coats may
be contaminated with S aureus, including MRSA. White coats may be an important vector for patient-to-patient transmission
of S aureus.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 14, 2008
Identification
Copyright
© 2009 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
