Abstract:

Many measures are taken to reduce the spread of pathogenic micro-organisms within hospitals, particularly MRSA. It is known that they are transferred by direct contact and that simple measures such as hand washing are highly effective in reducing spread. Many woven fabric items within hospitals have been shown to carry pathogens; the possibility of resultant wound infections cannot be ignored and unnecessary potential vectors should be eliminated. Infection in orthopaedic patients is a disaster which may lead to implant removal and multiple surgical procedures. We tested the ties of our orthopaedic department for pathogenic organism carriage and found that all ties were colonised by bacteria that are frequently cultured from swabs taken from discharging wounds of orthopaedic patients.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1308/147363502761019591

Affiliations: 1: Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey