title: Adhesive tape and intravascular-catheter-associated infections.
abstract: Adhesive tape is placed in close contact with intravascular catheters for extended periods and could theoretically contribute to local infections. We found that 74% of specimens of tape collected in one hospital were colonized by pathogenic bacteria. However, only 5% of specimens had significant growth from an inner layer obtained by discarding the outside layer from each roll. We suggest that adhesive tape is a potential source of pathogenic bacteria and that discarding the outer layer from a partially used roll might be a simple method for reducing the risk of infection to patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto Program in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Care Research of Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Redelmeier
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Livesley
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D001458:Bandages / Q000382:microbiology*; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D006801:Humans; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology*