Patients' case-notes: look but don't touch.
The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether viable bacteria could be cultured from patients' case-notes. Two hundred and twenty-eight current inpatients' notes were randomly sampled using contact plates to determine total viable counts, Gram-positive organisms, Gram-negative organisms and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Bacteria were grown from 227. Most were 'environmental', however, nine notes grew S. aureus. No Gram-negative bacteria or MRSA were isolated. These results show that potentially pathogenic bacteria can be found on case notes and could act as a source of transmission or cross-infection to patients. We recommend that handwashing should occur after handling case notes before patient contact.
Bebbington
A
A
Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Royal Gwent Hospital, Cardiff Road, Newport, Gwent NP20 2UB, UK. abebbington@doctors.net.uk
Parkin
I
I
James
P A
PA
Chichester
L J
LJ
Kubiak
E M
EM
D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / Q000517:prevention & control; D008499:Medical Records; D011897:Random Allocation