title: "Can religious icons be vectors of infectious diseases in hospital settings?".
abstract: According to Jewish tradition, Mezuzahs should be affixed on all doorposts leading to communal places. We evaluated the bacterial pathogenic load on the Mezuzah covers in our hospital. Mezuzahs were sampled in all hospital departments, and cultures were carried out. Serving as a control group, door handles belonging to the same departments were tested as well. Most samples harbored potential pathogens. Few cultures were positive in the control group, demonstrating that regular disinfection is carried out, but apparently religious artifacts are overlooked.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatrics, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel, affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. ilanyoungster@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ilan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Youngster
authors.forename: Matitiahu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berkovitch
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kozer
authors.forename: Zipora
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lazarovitch
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berkovitch
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldman
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000635:transmission*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D012067:Religion