Low levels of resistant bacteria found in Chicago-area ambulances
March 29, 2012 in Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
Treatment areas of ambulances fared well when tested for dangerous bacteria, according to a new study published in the April issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of APIC - the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Approximately six percent of sites sampled in Chicago-area ambulances tested positive for Staphyloccocus aureus (S. aureus), a bacterium that can cause serious infections and can easily acquire resistance to potent antibiotics.
A team of researchers from Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill took samples from 26 areas inside of 71 ambulances from 34 different Chicago-area municipalities. The team recovered 100 S. aureus isolates from more than 1,800 sites that were sampled (less than six percent). At least one S. aureus sample was found in 69 percent of ambulances tested. Of all isolates detected, 77 percent showed resistance to at least one commonly used antibiotic, and 12 percent were identified as the "superbug" known as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA).
The authors state, "Of interest, only 5 of 71 ambulances tested positive for MRSA in at least one location (yielding the 12 MRSA isolates studied). Although there have been few previous studies of front-line advanced life support ambulances, a higher frequency of suspected MRSA in ambulance fleets has been reported previously."
"These results indicate that first responders are doing a good job of protecting their patients," adds James Rago, PhD, lead study author and assistant professor of biology at Lewis University. "The research is significant because improper cleaning of these surfaces could be a cause for concern due to the frequency with which emergency medical technicians may touch infected surfaces during patient care, the prevalence of open wounds among burn victims, and the fact that these patients go directly to the hospital where they come in contact with patients with compromised immune systems who are vulnerable to infections."
The authors conclude, "Given the ease with which S. aureus can survive on inanimate surfaces and exchange antibiotic resistance elements, a conscientious approach to the application of existing cleaning techniques, especially in key ambulance sites, needs to continue."
Provided by
Elsevier
-
Long-term use of antibiotic to treat acne not associated with increased bacterial resistance
Apr 11, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Study finds fire stations contaminated with MRSA
Jun 01, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
MRSA head and neck infections increase among children
Jan 19, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Study finds MRSA danger in gyms may be exaggerated
Mar 03, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
MRSA pre-screening effective in reducing otolaryngic surgical infection rates
Jan 01, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Motion perception revisited: High Phi effect challenges established motion perception assumptions
Apr 23, 2013 |
3 / 5 (2) |
2
-
Anything you can do I can do better: Neuromolecular foundations of the superiority illusion (Update)
Apr 02, 2013 |
4.5 / 5 (11) |
5
-
The visual system as economist: Neural resource allocation in visual adaptation
Mar 30, 2013 |
5 / 5 (2) |
9
-
Separate lives: Neuronal and organismal lifespans decoupled
Mar 27, 2013 |
4.9 / 5 (8) |
0
-
Sizing things up: The evolutionary neurobiology of scale invariance
Feb 28, 2013 |
4.8 / 5 (10) |
14
-
Classical and Quantum Mechanics via Lie algebras
Apr 15, 2011
- More from Physics Forums - Independent Research
More news stories
Shorter duration steroid therapy may offer similar effectiveness in reducing COPD exacerbations
Among patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requiring hospital admission, a 5-day glucocorticoid treatment course was non-inferior (not worse than) to a 14-day course with regard ...
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
10 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
Race and gender influence diagnosis of COPD
African-Americans are less likely than whites and women are more likely than men to have had a prior diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) regardless of their current disease severity, according to a new ...
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
11 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
Genetic variation among patients with pulmonary fibrosis associated with improved survival
Variation in the gene MUC5B among patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was associated with improved survival, according to a study published online by JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with i ...
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
13 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
Estimates reveal low population immunity to new bird flu virus H7N9 in humans
The level of immunity to the recently circulating H7N9 influenza virus in an urban and rural population in Vietnam is very low, according to the first population level study to examine human immunity to the virus, which was ...
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
3 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
|
Study shows COPD is associated with significant and persistent pain
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is primarily associated with the respiratory symptoms that are its hallmark, but in fact, patients who struggle with the disease also experience significant amounts of chronic ...
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
3 hours ago |
not rated yet |
0
Drugs found to both prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease in mice
Researchers at USC have found that a class of pharmaceuticals can both prevent and treat Alzheimer's Disease in mice.
Genetic risk for obesity found in many Mexican young adults
As many as 35 percent of Mexican young adults may have a genetic predisposition for obesity, said a University of Illinois scientist who conducted a study at the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosί.
Low radiation scans help identify cancer in earliest stages
A study of veterans at high risk for developing lung cancer shows that low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can be highly effective in helping clinicians spot tiny lung nodules which, in a small number of patients, may indicate ...
If you can remember it, you can remember it wrong
(Medical Xpress)—Native peoples in regions where cameras are uncommon sometimes react with caution when their picture is taken. The fear that something must have been stolen from them to create the photo ...
Insight into the dazzling impact of insulin in cells
Australian scientists have charted the path of insulin action in cells in precise detail like never before. This provides a comprehensive blueprint for understanding what goes wrong in diabetes.
B vitamins could delay dementia
(Medical Xpress)—Despite spending billions of dollars on research and development, drug companies have been unable to come up with effective treatments for dementia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Now, A. ...