Q: I read with interest your recent column on MRSA (methicillin-resistant staph aureus). I'm scheduled to present an in-service on this topic to our nursing home staff. I hope you can help me answer the following questions:
How long does MRSA live on inanimate objects? What are the best products to clean surfaces? Should residents bathe with antibacterial soap or will plain soap work?
A: A couple of 2006 studies examined the survival ability of MRSA bacteria on various surfaces in hospitals.
One found that MRSA survived for 11 days on a plastic patient chart, more than 12 days on a laminated tabletop, and nine days on a cloth curtain.
The other study determined that MRSA and some other types of disease-causing microorganisms could survive for weeks or months on dry surfaces.
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Low temperature (e.g., 39 to 43 degrees F.), high humidity, or greater concentrations of organisms appeared to boost survival time for most bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Surfaces that people touch were often contaminated and could serve to transmit MRSA and other germs.
The temporarily contaminated hands of health care workers was the primary route of germ transmission within the hospital. Health care workers were reported to follow good hand hygiene (e.g., proper handwashing) only about half the time.
A 1997 study of MRSA-infected hospital patients found MRSA-contaminated objects to include the floor, bed linens, the patient's gown, overbed tables, blood pressure cuffs, uniforms and gowns of direct-care nurses, and gloves of ancillary personnel who touched contaminated surfaces.
The routine use of surface disinfectant products on clean floors seemed to have little impact on hospital infections.
In contrast, disinfection of surfaces in the immediate area of patient care did appear to reduce germ transmission among susceptible patients.
Therefore, routine surface disinfection was recommended for these areas.
For a list of EPA-registered surface disinfectant products for MRSA, visit the following Web page http://epa.gov/oppad001/chemregindex.htm and click on List H.
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As for the use of consumer-formulated antibacterial soaps for hand washing or bathing, I'm not a big fan.
There's controversy over whether these products might actually promote the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. The concern is that they could eradicate weaker strains of bacteria, leaving hardier strains to proliferate with little competition.
Richard Harkness is a consultant pharmacist, natural medicines specialist, and author of eight published books. Write him at 1224 King Henry Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564; or rharknaol.com . Selected questions will be used in the column.
