Role of fecal incontinence in contamination of the environment with vancomycin-resistant enterococci

Background: We tested the hypothesis that patients with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) stool colonization who are continent of feces contaminate the environment less frequently than patients who are colonized and incontinent. Methods: We prospectively examined the frequency of environmental...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of infection control 2003-06, Vol.31 (4), p.221-225
Main Authors: Mayer, Richard A., Geha, Rula C., Helfand, Marion S., Hoyen, Claudia K., Salata, Robert A., Donskey, Curtis J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chi-Square Distribution
Colony Count, Microbial
Enterococcus - isolation & purification
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Fecal Incontinence
Feces - microbiology
Hospitals, University
Humans
Prospective Studies
Vancomycin Resistance
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Summary:Background: We tested the hypothesis that patients with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) stool colonization who are continent of feces contaminate the environment less frequently than patients who are colonized and incontinent. Methods: We prospectively examined the frequency of environmental VRE contamination in the rooms of 15 patients who were continent and 15 who were incontinent and VRE-colonized. Broth-enrichment cultures of bed rails, bedside table, and call buttons were performed at baseline, and 2 and 5 days after environmental disinfection. The numbers of VRE colonies isolated after directly plating environmental swabs onto agar were compared for the continent and incontinent groups. Results: The percentages of patients with 1 or more positive environmental cultures for VRE were not significantly different for the groups of patients who were continent and incontinent at baseline (60% vs 73%, P =.45) or 2 days after disinfection (60% vs 80%, P =.24). The numbers of VRE colonies isolated by direct plating were not significantly different for the continent and incontinent groups (P =.42). Conclusions: Environmental contamination occurs frequently in the rooms of patients who are continent, and those who are incontinent and VRE-colonized. Our findings suggest that similar infection control measures should be implemented for patients who are continent and incontinent. (Am J Infect Control 2003;31:221-5.)
ISSN:0196-6553
1527-3296
DOI:10.1067/mic.2003.45