TUESDAY, June 3 (HealthDay News) -- Using an antibacterial wipe
more than once can spread germs, according to a new study.
Some tested antimicrobial-containing wipes, which are gaining
popularity in hospitals as a way to decontaminate hard surfaces,
can remove greater numbers of bacteria from surfaces than others,
but none killed the bacteria they captured. If used more than once,
much of the bacteria could just be transferred onto other surfaces,
the study said.
The findings, by researchers at the Welsh School of Pharmacy at
Cardiff University in Wales, were scheduled to be presented Tuesday
at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, in
Boston.
The research highlights concerns about use of the wipes in
hospitals and the importance of a routine surveillance program in
reducing risks of infection to patients, the researchers said.
The study used a three-step process to determine how well the
wipes removed, killed and prevented the transfer of bacteria
between surfaces. Several commercially available wipes for
disinfection were used on surfaces contaminated with
Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA).
More information
The Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics has more about
antibacterial agents.
