title: Environmental sampling for Clostridium difficile on alcohol-based hand rub dispensers in an academic medical center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clostridum difficile is a gram-positive, spore-forming anaerobic bacillus that has substantial associated morbidity, mortality, and associated healthcare burdens. Clostridium difficile spores are not destroyed by alcohol. Alcohol gel dispensers are used commonly as the hand sanitization method of choice in hospitals. It is possible that gel dispensers are fomites for C. difficile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty alcohol-based gel dispenser handles outside of rooms of patients with active C. difficile infection were sampled. The samples were assessed for C. difficile by both culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The samples were also assessed for other organisms by culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No C. difficile was cultured or detected by PCR on any of the gel dispensers. Coagulase-negative Staphyloccus spp., diptheroids, and Bacillus spp. were the organisms detected most commonly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At our institution, C. difficile is not present on alcohol-based gel dispensers, but other potentially pathogenis are.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Surgery, Stanford University , Palo Alto, California.
authors.forename: Joseph D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Forrester
authors.forename: Niaz
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Banaei
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buchner
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Spain
authors.forename: Kristan L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Staudenmayer
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000382:microbiology; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D050456:Fomites / Q000382:microbiology*; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D064548:Hand Sanitizers; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D064548:Hand Sanitizers