Bacterial contamination of floors and other surfaces in operating rooms: a five-year survey.

Bacterial contamination of floors and other surfaces in the operating suite has been investigated by contact impression plates during the past five years. Colony counts of the floors of operating rooms, cleaned with disinfectant, were 3.3 c.f.u./10 cm2; on the floors of semi-clean and dirty areas, cleaned with detergent, colony counts were 44.8 and 71.4 c.f.u./10 cm2 respectively. The highest colony counts of 487.4 c.f.u./10 cm2 were found in the dressing rooms, the floors of which were covered with carpets, cleaned with a vacuum cleaner. Mean bacterial numbers on surfaces of various equipment in operating rooms, cleaned with disinfectant, were 2.8 c.f.u./10 cm2. Bacterial numbers on surfaces decreased markedly from 253.2 to 11.9 c.f.u./10 cm2 following the use of disinfectant. Bacterial species found from various surfaces were mainly coagulase-negative staphylococci, derived from human beings. In the light of these findings the regular use of disinfectant for cleaning of the floors and other surfaces in operating rooms is advisable.