What's hanging around your neck? Pathogenic bacteria on identity badges and lanyards.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether identity badges and lanyards worn by health care workers (HCWs) are capable of harbouring potentially pathogenic bacteria.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study of 71 HCWs (59 clinical ward staff and 12 infection control staff) at Monash Medical Centre, a university teaching hospital. Samples from lanyards, identity badge surfaces and connections (eg, clips, keys, pens) were cultured. The study was conducted from July to August 2006.


METHODS
Presence of pathogenic bacteria on identity badges and lanyards; differences in bacterial counts on items carried by nurses and doctors.


RESULTS
A total of 27 lanyards were identified with pathogenic bacteria, compared with 18 badges. Analysing lanyards and badges as a combined group, seven had methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 29 had methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), four had Enterococcus spp and five had aerobic gram-negative bacilli. Lanyards were found to be contaminated with 10 times the median bacterial load per area sampled compared with identity badges. There were no significant differences between nurses and doctors in total median bacterial counts on items carried, but doctors had 4.41 times the risk of carrying MSSA on lanyards (95% CI, 1.14-13.75).


CONCLUSIONS
Identity badges and lanyards worn by HCWs may be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, which could be transmitted to patients. In view of this finding we suggest appropriate infection control interventions.
Kotsanas
Despina
D
Department of Infectious Diseases, Southern Health - Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. despina.kotsanas@southernhealth.org.au
Scott
Carmel
C
Gillespie
Elizabeth E
EE
Korman
Tony M
TM
Stuart
Rhonda L
RL
D003020:Clothing; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005260:Female; D006088:Gram-Negative Aerobic Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D011996:Records; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification