Assessment of theatre shoe contamination in an orthopaedic theatre. Issue 3 (July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Clesham, K.; Ryan, P.R.; Murphy, C.G.
• Is Part Of: Journal of hospital infection. Volume 99:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 299
• Page End: 302
• Publication Date: 2018-07
• Subjects: Arthroplasty -- Theatre shoes -- Infection -- Prosthetic infection; Cross infection -- Periodicals; Cross infection -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Nosocomial infections -- Periodicals; Nosocomial infections -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Cross Infection -- Periodicals; Cross Infection -- prevention & control -- Periodicals; Infection Control -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 614.44
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2018.03.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0195-6701

Abstract

Summary: Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication of arthroplasty. Numerous protocols reduce potential risk for PJI peri-operatively, but none exist for the management of theatre shoes. Our aim was to assess for bacteria known to cause prosthetic infection on theatre shoes. Forty theatre shoes were analysed; there were coagulase-negative staphylococci on 65% ( N = 25), meticillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus on 40% ( N = 16), and meticillin-resistant S. aureus on 25% ( N = 10). Amount of blood spatter correlated poorly with microbial contamination. Shoes harbouring Gram-positive bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains, provide a potential route of transmission to the theatre environment.