Hospital infections related with hospital microbial environment

This review discusses the important role of contaminated environmental surfaces in contributing to transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens, including the ability of pathogens on dry environmental surfaces, touched by patients and healthcare workers, and so transmission to patients. Contamination of hospital equipment, medicines and water supplies with hospital pathogens is common source of outbreaks of infection. This study reviews several important pathogens including Clostridium difficile, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin- resistant enterococci (VRE), Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and norovirus that have the ability to survive in the dry-surface environment, which may then become a source for transmission. The role of contaminated environmental surfaces in transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens is also supported by the fact that cleaning and/or disinfection of the environment can reduce the incidence of healthcare-associated colonization or infection.