Primer on Hospital Pathogens: A Review of Key Bugs and the Need for Environmental Hygiene

In recent years there have been a number of studies indicating the importance of the role of the environment in infection acquisition; and transmission. Over the past decade, substantial scientific evidence has accumulated indicating that contamination of environmental surfaces in hospital rooms plays an important role in the transmission of several key healthcare-associated pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), Clostridium difficile, Acinetobacter and norovirus. When one considers the persistence of the vast majority of pathogens in the environment for days, weeks and even months, it becomes clear that cleaning and disinfection is of utmost importance. There are some pathogens that are more prevalent in the hospital environment and are of significant concern, and this report takes a look at a few of them.

• Review environmental hygiene imperatives
• Review key hospital pathogens