Antimicrobial wipes commonly used in hospitals to clean surfaces like bed railings may in fact spread bacteria, such as MRSA, if used incorrectly, a new study says.
The study, from researchers at Cardiff University in Wales, found that many wipes clean but don't kill bacteria from surfaces, meaning that if the wipe is re-used, bacteria can be transferred from one surface to another.
This could lead to the spread of bacteria such as antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. This type of staph bacteria is spread via skin-to-skin contact or contact with a contaminated surface. MRSA can lead to life-threatening infections of the bloodstream, bones or lungs if left untreated.
As a result of their findings, the researchers, led by microbiologist Dr. Jean-Yves Maillard, recommend a one wipe, one application per surface policy for cleaning surfaces in health-care facilities.
"On the whole, wipes can be effective in removing, killing and preventing the transfer of pathogens such as MRSA but only if used in the right way," Dr. Gareth Williams, a microbiologist at Cardiff's Welsh School of Pharmacy and one of the study's authors, said in a statement.
"We found that the most effective way to prevent the risk of MRSA spread in hospital wards is to ensure the wipe is used only once on one surface."
Williams will present the research Tuesday at the American Society of Microbiology's general meeting in Boston.
The researchers observed hospital workers as they used wipes to disinfect surfaces that both workers and patients would come in contact with. They found that one wipe was being used on the same surface several times and then used on other surfaces before being thrown away.
When the researchers reenacted this scenario in the laboratory with a number of brands of wipes, they found that the wipes did not kill the bacteria they picked up, including MRSA. This means the bacteria were transferred to other surfaces when they were re-used.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, hospital-acquired infections result in between 8,000 and 12,000 deaths in Canada each year. A report released in March says that MRSA alone killed 2,300 Canadians in 2006.
The study's authors hope that their findings encourage health-care facilities worldwide to reevaluate their cleaning policies.
