Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-mp689 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T22:02:37.163Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Clostridium difficile Contamination of Blood Pressure Cuffs: A Call for a Closer Look at Gloving Practices in the Era of Universal Precautions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Farrin A. Manian ,
Lynn Meyer  and
Joan Jenne
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We report an outbreak of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea at our medical center following adoption of Universal Precautions. Environmental cultures revealed unexpected contamination of blood pressure cuffs at a rate similar to that for bedside commodes (10% and 11.5%, respectively). An obser vational sur vey revealed that healthcare workers in the patient care areas not infrequently failed to remove their potentially stool-contaminated gloves prior to touching clean surfaces, which might have contributed to contamination of blood pressure cuffs.

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 17 , Issue 3 , March 1996 , pp. 180 - 182
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.McFarland, LV, Mulligan, ME, Kwok, RYY, et al. Nosocomial acquisition of Clostridium difficile infection. N Engl J Med 1989;320:204–210.Google Scholar
2.Nath, SK, Thornley, JH, Kelly, M, et al. A sustained outbreak of Clostridium difficile in a general hospital: persistence of a toxigenic clone in four units. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1994;15:382–389.Google Scholar
3.Olson, MM, Shanholtzer, CJ, Lee, JT, et al. Ten years of prospective Clostridium-difficile associated disease surveillance and treatment at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, 1982-1991. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1994;15:371–381.Google Scholar
4.Patterson, JE, Vecchio, J, Pantelick, EL, et al. Association of contaminated gloves with transmission of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var. anitratus in an intensive care unit. Am J Med 1991;91:479–483.Google Scholar