title: Study on the effectiveness of disinfection with wipes against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and implications for hospital hygiene.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Environmental contamination with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a significant risk in the epidemiology of infection. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of disinfection in clinical areas by assessment of the wipe-rinse method to MRSA in the immediate patient environment, on both the bed rails and the cleaning wipes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The environmental disinfection procedures of 8 MRSA-positive hospitalized patients in 2 orthopedic wards were evaluated. A total of 56 pre- and postdisinfection samples from the bed rails as well as pre- and postuse wipes samples were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average MRSA loads on the bed rails before and after disinfections were 4.4 colony-forming units (cfu)/cm(2) and 0.4 cfu/cm(2), respectively, the process reducing MRSA survival from a mean of -0.70 log to -1.65 log. The mean difference of MRSA survival detected on the wipes after each wiping ranged from 0.13 to 0.42 log.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of MRSA in the proximity of the patient, ie, the bed rails as well as the cleaning tool (the wipe), was demonstrated in this study. If thorough rinsing was not conducted between wiping, bacteria accumulated on the wipes, which can result in cross transmission.
authors.affiliation: Infection Control Team, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong. kaleycheng@yahoo.com.hk
authors.forename: Ka Lam
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Maureen Valerie
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Boost
authors.forename: Joanne Wai Yee
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000592:standards; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology; D004203:Disinfection / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D006761:Hospitals; D006920:Hygiene; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D013234:Stem Cells
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants