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Cobrado L, Silva-Dias A, Azevedo MM, Rodrigues AG. High-touch surfaces: microbial neighbours at hand. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2017. [PMID: 28647859 PMCID: PMC7087772 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-017-3042-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Despite considerable efforts, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) continue to be globally responsible for serious morbidity, increased costs and prolonged length of stay. Among potentially preventable sources of microbial pathogens causing HAIs, patient care items and environmental surfaces frequently touched play an important role in the chain of transmission. Microorganisms contaminating such high-touch surfaces include Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, viruses, yeasts and parasites, with improved cleaning and disinfection effectively decreasing the rate of HAIs. Manual and automated surface cleaning strategies used in the control of infectious outbreaks are discussed and current trends concerning the prevention of contamination by the use of antimicrobial surfaces are taken into consideration in this manuscript.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Cobrado
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200, Porto, Portugal. .,Burn Unit, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Centro Hospitalar São João, Porto, Portugal. .,CINTESIS, Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - A Silva-Dias
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200, Porto, Portugal.,CINTESIS, Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - M M Azevedo
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200, Porto, Portugal.,CINTESIS, Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - A G Rodrigues
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200, Porto, Portugal.,Burn Unit, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Centro Hospitalar São João, Porto, Portugal.,CINTESIS, Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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