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. 1989 Apr;102(2):231–238. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800029903

Sink flora in a long-stay hospital is determined by the patients' oral and rectal flora.

H K Van Saene 1, J C Van Putte 1, J J Van Saene 1, T W Van de Gronde 1, E G Van Warmerdam 1
PMCID: PMC2249433  PMID: 2703019

Abstract

Sinks in a new long-stay hospital (LSH) were cultured weekly during 4 consecutive months to evaluate the microbial profile before and after occupancy of the hospital. From the elderly patients admitted to the patient care rooms oral and rectal specimens were collected to examine the contribution of the patients' flora to the sink contamination. Isolates were typed biochemically, serologically and by susceptibility pattern. Before occupancy Gram-negative bacilli were not isolated. Once the elderly patients, who were highly colonized on admission, occupied their rooms identical strains gradually contaminated the sinks. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter species were the major correlating strains. The mean concentration of the correlating isolates was higher in throat and intestines compared to the mean concentration of the non-correlating strains. These strains seem to have a greater chance to be shed and then transferred via the hands of personnel to sinks. This report shows that the major route of environmental contamination is from patient carriers to sinks, and not the reverse way.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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