Ward floors and other surfaces as reservoirs of hospital infection

Abstract

Impression plates from initially clean horizontal surfaces and floor areas in surgical wards showed a rapid accumulation of bacteria, mainly micrococci, which reached a fluctuating equilibrium after about 24 h. A later increase in bacterial contamination (mainly with aerobic sporing bacilli) to a higher equilibrium level after about 14 days occurred on uncleaned areas. Walls, even if left unwashed, acquired very few bacteria, but many were deposited locally when the wall was touched by a subject whose skin carried large numbers of staphylococci; moist exposed plaster was also heavily contaminated.Regular use of a disinfectant (‘Sudol’ 1 in 100) in cleaning a ward floor did not reduce the equilibrium level of bacteria on the floor.The transfer of staphylococci from contaminated to clean areas on the soles of shoes was demonstrated; the use of tacky and disinfectant mats did not appreciably reduce the transfer of bacteria by this route.Staphylococci deposited on a wall by a disperser were shown to be transferred from the contaminated area of wall to the hands of another subject who did not previously carry the organism; this subject was shown to transfer the staphylo-coccus to a wall which he touched.Attempts to redisperse by air movement Staph. aureus which had been shed by a disperser or by a contaminated blanket on to the floor surfaces had little effect; neither blowing with a hair dryer nor brisk exercise appeared to lift any of the staphylococci from a vinyl surface, and only small numbers were lifted by these measures from a terrazzo surface.The hazards of infection from the inanimate environment are discussed.