title: Are hospital floors an underappreciated reservoir for transmission of health care-associated pathogens?
abstract: In a survey of 5 hospitals, we found that floors in patient rooms were frequently contaminated with pathogens and high-touch objects such as blood pressure cuffs and call buttons were often in contact with the floor. Contact with objects on floors frequently resulted in transfer of pathogens to hands.
authors.affiliation: Medicine Institute Center for Value Based Care, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH; Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Abhishek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH; Research Service, Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cadnum
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH; Research Service, Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fertelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH; Research Service, Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sitzlar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH; Research Service, Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Priyaleela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thota
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH; Research Service, Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Thriveen S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Mana
authors.affiliation: Research Service, Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jencson
authors.affiliation: Research Service, Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Heba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alhmidi
authors.affiliation: Research Service, Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Sreelatha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koganti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH; Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH. Electronic address: curtisd123@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Curtis J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Donskey
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000635:transmission*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D050456:Fomites / Q000382:microbiology*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D010362:Patients' Rooms
keywords: Clostridium difficile; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Vancomycin-resistant enterococci