Providers are losing the war against hospital-acquired and healthcare-related infections, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. One of the primary culprits is the “bacterial burden of horizontal surfaces.”

“Problematic pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile have demonstrated survival for up to several months on both plastic and metallic surfaces,” wrote lead author Alexander Harvin, MD, in department of radiology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C., and colleagues. “These surfaces are ubiquitous in healthcare facilities, and many of these surfaces are frequently touched but infrequently cleaned. With infrequent cleaning and prolonged bacterial viability on said surfaces, there is an increased chance of transmission from patient to health care worker or vice versa.”

Harvin et al. investigated what they could do to limit such infections. First, they performed a thorough assessment of the bacteria found on a facility’s most commonly used workstations, collecting samples from dictation microphones, telephone headsets and keyboards. “Modality-specific” surfaces such as fluoroscopy handles and control panels were also analyzed.

Interventions were then put in place.

“We formally presented the data from our initial surface sampling to all radiology residents, faculty and technologists in the form of 10-minute oral presentations,” the authors wrote. “Additionally, digital and hard-copy visual reminders were posted in all pertinent technologist and resident areas. All workstations and imaging areas were kept fully stocked with cleaning supplies and routinely monitored for inventory.”

Six months later, the research team returned unannounced to take a post-intervention collection of samples, with the results measured in terms of microbial burden (MB).

For the initial, pre-intervention collection, the authors found that MB was over commonly accepted levels on approximately 90 percent of the studied surfaces. Keyboard space bars were the single worst surface, and 71 percent of the organisms were identified as Staphylococci.

The results showed that the team’s interventions made a difference, but there was still work to be done. A “significant decrease” in total MB was achieved, but 80 percent of the studied surfaces were still problematic.

“We found that simply increasing awareness among residents did significantly decrease the overall workstation MB,” the authors wrote. “However, the reduction in MB was not enough to bring most surfaces below the acceptable threshold for surface contamination.”