title: Surface disinfection: should we do it?
abstract: The effective use of disinfectants constitutes an important factor in preventing hospital-acquired infections. Surfaces are considered non-critical items as they come in contact with intact skin. Use of non-critical items or contact with non-critical surfaces carries little risk of transmitting a pathogen to patients. Thus, the routine use of disinfectants to disinfect hospital floors and other non-critical items is controversial. However, surfaces may potentially contribute to cross-transmission by acquisition of transient hand carriage by health care personnel due to contact with a contaminated surface or by patient contact with contaminated surfaces or medical equipment. This paper reviews the epidemiological and microbiological data regarding the use of disinfectants on non-critical surfaces. It concludes that while non-critical surfaces are uncommonly associated with transmission of infections to patients, one should clean and disinfect surfaces on a regularly scheduled basis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina Health Care System, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill 27514, USA.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Rutala
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology; D004203:Disinfection / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006797:Housekeeping, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012037:Refuse Disposal
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D004202:Disinfectants