title: Contamination of X-ray cassettes with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus in a radiology department.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We performed surveillance cultures of the surfaces of X-ray cassettes to assess contamination with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
  
  
  METHODS
  The surfaces of 37 X-ray cassettes stored in a radiology department were cultured using mannitol salt agar containing 6 µg/mL oxacillin. Suspected methicillin-resistant staphylococcal colonies were isolated and identified by biochemical testing. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis was performed to determine the clonal relationships of the contaminants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six X-ray cassettes (16.2%) were contaminated with MRSA. During the isolation procedure, we also detected 19 X-ray cassettes (51.4%) contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus (MRSH), identified as yellow colonies resembling MRSA on mannitol salt agar. PFGE analysis of the MRSA and MRSH isolates revealed that most isolates of each organism were identical or closely related to each other, suggesting a common source of contamination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  X-ray cassettes, which are commonly in direct contact with patients, were contaminated with MRSA and MRSH. In hospital environments, contaminated X-ray cassettes may serve as fomites for methicillin-resistant staphylococci.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jaeseok@hallym.or.kr
authors.forename: Jae-Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Han-Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hyun-Sook
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Chul-Sun
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Wonkeun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hyoun Chan
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Kyu Man
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D019719:Diagnostic Equipment / Q000382:microbiology*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010068:Oxacillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D041162:Staphylococcus haemolyticus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010068:Oxacillin