The impact of microbial surveys on disinfection protocols in a chiropractic college environment.
OBJECTIVE
A baseline microbial survey was conducted to identify the microbes present on the headpieces of chiropractic adjusting tables from across the Western States Chiropractic College, Portland, Ore, facilities. This included the instructional adjustive technique laboratories, the student health center, the campus outpatient clinic, and an off-site clinic. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of disinfection protocols over time at a chiropractic college.


METHODS
Four samplings were done for a 12-month period. A total of 69 treatment tables were tested. Sampling was done directly to blood agar (5% sheep blood) plates. Data obtained from the clinic locations were analyzed using linear regression models.


RESULTS
Identification of microbes by differential staining and biochemical analysis yielded a variety of gram-positive bacteria in all 4 surveys. The numbers of bacterial colonies decreased in the second survey after changes to disinfection protocols. The number of colonies continued to remain below baseline in the third and fourth surveys. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was found in the clinics in 3 of 4 surveys. Methicillin-resistant S aureus was not detected in the technique laboratories.


CONCLUSIONS
Various microbes were identified on the headpieces of adjusting tables in the college instructional technique laboratories and college clinics. Changing the disinfection protocols reduced the number of bacteria found in the second survey. In addition, the third and fourth surveys showed fewer bacterial colonies than baseline, suggesting that compliance with disinfection protocols continued over time.
Burnham
Kara
K
Basic Sciences Department, Western States Chiropractic College, Portland, Ore 97230-309, USA. kburnham@wschiro.edu
Peterson
David
D
Vavrek
Darcy
D
Haas
Mitchell
M
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002684:Chiropractic / Q000193:education / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development; D009922:Oregon; D016134:Organizational Policy; D012576:Schools, Health Occupations / Q000458:organization & administration; D013333:Student Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors