Journal article
Factors associated with healthcare personnel glove or gown contamination with MRSA: a cohort study of VA hospitals in 5 states
Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Vol.46(11), pp.1105-1109
11/2025
DOI: 10.1017/ice.2025.10253
PMID: 41054387
Abstract
To determine the rate of healthcare personnel (HCP) glove or gown contamination with methicillin-resistant
(MRSA) and to estimate which patient care interactions and HCP roles are associated with greater contamination.
Multicenter cohort study.
Five Veterans Affairs medical centers in the United States.
Patients with a positive MRSA clinical or surveillance culture within the past 7 days were enrolled. Five HCP in the room were observed for each patient. After completion of tasks and prior to room exit, HCP gloves and gowns were cultured separately.
We enrolled 799 patients and obtained 3,832 glove and gown cultures. Contamination of HCP gloves or gown with MRSA occurred 713 of 3,832 (18.6%) of the time, while 589 of 3,832 (15.4%) of interactions resulted in contamination of gloves, and 319 of 3,831 (8.3%) of interactions resulted in contamination of gowns. The gloves and gowns of physical therapists and occupational therapists were most frequently contaminated. Any interactions that involved touching the patient resulted in glove or gown contamination in 622 of 2,901 (21.4%) of observations, while touching only the environment resulted contamination in 91 of 931 (9.8%) of observations. Rates of glove or gown contamination were similar in the intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU.
Contamination of HCP gloves and gowns with MRSA occurs frequently when caring for Veteran patients particularly when there is direct patient contact. Hospitals may consider optimizing contact precautions by using fewer precautions for low-risk interactions and more precautions for high-risk interactions.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Factors associated with healthcare personnel glove or gown contamination with MRSA: a cohort study of VA hospitals in 5 states
- Creators
- Lyndsay M O'Hara - University of Maryland School of MedicineLisa Pineles - VA Maryland Health Care SystemMichelle Newman - University of Maryland, BaltimoreMary Bahr-Robertson - University of Maryland, BaltimoreGio J Baracco - Miami VA Healthcare SystemMatthew Bidwell Goetz - University of California, Los AngelesKevin S Ikuta - VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare SystemChristopher J Crnich - William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans HospitalSuzanne F Bradley - VA Ann Arbor Healthcare SystemKathleen A Linder - VA Ann Arbor Healthcare SystemMichael A Rubin - VA Salt Lake City Healthcare SystemKarim Khader - University of UtahRichard E Nelson - University of UtahJ Kristie Johnson - University of Maryland, BaltimoreEli N Perencevich - Iowa City VA Health Care SystemMartin E Evans - Office of Patient Care ServicesAnthony D Harris - University of Maryland, Baltimore
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Vol.46(11), pp.1105-1109
- DOI
- 10.1017/ice.2025.10253
- PMID
- 41054387
- NLM abbreviation
- Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol
- ISSN
- 1559-6834
- eISSN
- 1559-6834
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 10/07/2025
- Date published
- 11/2025
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; General Internal Medicine; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984969245002771
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