Treakle Amy M, Thom Kerri A, Furuno Jon P, Strauss Sandra M, Harris Anthony D, Perencevich Eli N
Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Am J Infect Control. 2009 Mar;37(2):101-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2008.03.009. Epub 2008 Oct 3.
Patient-to-patient transmission of nosocomial pathogens has been linked to transient colonization of health care workers, and studies have suggested that contamination of health care workers' clothing, including white coats, may be a vector for this transmission.
We performed a cross-sectional study involving attendees of medical and surgical grand rounds at a large teaching hospital to investigate the prevalence of contamination of white coats with important nosocomial pathogens, such as methicillin-sensitive Stapylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Each participant completed a brief survey and cultured his or her white coat using a moistened culture swab on lapels, pockets, and cuffs.
Among the 149 grand rounds attendees' white coats, 34 (23%) were contaminated with S aureus, of which 6 (18%) were MRSA. None of the coats was contaminated with VRE. S aureus contamination was more prevalent in residents, those working in inpatient settings, and those who saw an inpatient that day.
This study suggests that a large proportion of health care workers' white coats may be contaminated with S aureus, including MRSA. White coats may be an important vector for patient-to-patient transmission of S aureus.
医院病原体的患者间传播与医护人员的短暂定植有关，研究表明医护人员的衣物污染，包括白大褂，可能是这种传播的一个载体。
我们进行了一项横断面研究，纳入了一家大型教学医院内科和外科大查房的参与者，以调查白大褂被重要医院病原体污染的情况，如甲氧西林敏感金黄色葡萄球菌、耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌（MRSA）和耐万古霉素肠球菌（VRE）。每位参与者完成一份简短的调查问卷，并使用湿润的培养拭子在翻领、口袋和袖口处对其白大褂进行培养。
在149名大查房参与者的白大褂中，34件（23%）被金黄色葡萄球菌污染，其中6件（18%）为MRSA。没有白大褂被VRE污染。金黄色葡萄球菌污染在住院医师、在住院病房工作的人员以及当天看过住院患者的人员中更为普遍。
这项研究表明，很大一部分医护人员的白大褂可能被金黄色葡萄球菌污染，包括MRSA。白大褂可能是金黄色葡萄球菌患者间传播的一个重要载体。
