Hospital privacy curtains commonly contaminated with deadly superbugs

Researchers at the University of Michigan have studied privacy curtains located on over 600 specialist hospital wards and found that around 22 per cent of them were harbouring MRSA or other killer bacteria.

The curtains, which are frequently touched and handled by patients, were also found to contain MRSA and are also a source of bacteria called vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) which can lead to urinary and blood infections.

Kristen Gibson, lead researcher from the University of Michigan’s Department of Internal Medicine, said “We were surprised to see that multi-drug resistant organisms, especially VRE, shed by patients routinely contaminate their privacy curtains.

“These pathogens on privacy curtains often survive and have the potential to transfer to other surfaces and patients. As privacy curtains are used all over the world, it’s a global issue.”

The results of the study showed that six per cent of curtains contained MRSA and a further nine per cent contained VRE.

The researchers went on to say “Further studies are needed to determine conclusively whether contaminated privacy curtains are a source of multi-drug-resistant organism transmission to patients.”

A study in Canada last year found that close to 90 per cent of privacy curtains were contaminated with MRSA within 24 months of being fitted.

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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