Impact of a single plain finger ring on the bacterial load on the hands of healthcare workers

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology

Volumn 28, Issue 10, 2007, Pages 1191-1195

  Fagernes, Mette ^a   Lingaas, Egil ^b   Bjark, Per ^a  

^a VESTFOLD HOSPITAL TRUST   (Norway)

^b OSLO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL   (Norway)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ANALYTIC METHOD; ARTICLE; BACTERIAL COUNT; BACTERIUM CARRIER; BACTERIUM CULTURE; BACTERIUM IDENTIFICATION; COMPARATIVE STUDY; CONTROLLED STUDY; ENTEROBACTERIACEAE; FEMALE; GRAM NEGATIVE BACTERIUM; HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL; HOSPITAL; HUMAN; JEWELRY; MALE; NORMAL HUMAN; NORWAY; SAMPLING; STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE;

ALLIED HEALTH PERSONNEL; CARRIER STATE; COLONY COUNT, MICROBIAL; ENTEROBACTERIACEAE; FOMITES; HANDWASHING; HUMANS; MANUFACTURED MATERIALS; NURSES; STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS;

EID: 35348842029     PISSN: 0899823X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1086/520739     Document Type: Article

References (33)

1. Athar MA, Stafford L, Wootliff JS. Bacterial population of ring and control fingers in health care workers. Infect Control Can 1989; 4:8-9-, 11-2.
2. Bartlett GE, Pollard TC, Bowker KE, Bannister GC. Effect of jewellery on surface bacterial counts of operating theatres. J Hosp Infect 2002; 52:68-70.
3. Field EA, McGowan P, Pearce PK, Martin MV. Rings and watches: should they be removed prior to operative dental procedures? J Dent 1996; 24:65-69.
4. Hoffman PN, Cooke EM, McCarville MR, Emmerson AM. Micro-organisms isolated from skin under wedding rings worn by hospital staff. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1985; 290:206-207.
5. Jacobson G, Thiele JE, McCune JH, Farrell LD. Handwashing: ringwearing and number of microorganisms. Nurs Res 1985; 34:186-188.
6. Kristiansen M, Laukvik G, Wiberg K, Ovrebotten IM. Har vi et profesjonelt forhold til sykehushygiene? Sykepleien 1989; 77:16-20.
7. Lowbury EJL, Blowers R, Cunliffe AC, et al. Aseptic methods in the operating suite. Lancet 1968; 1:705-709.
8. Nicholson-Pegg A. The wearing of wedding rings in the operating department. NATNEWS 1982; 19:19-25.
9. Trick WE, Vernon MO, Hayes RA, et al. Impact of ring wearing on hand contamination and comparison of hand hygiene agents in a hospital. Clin Infect Dis 2003; 36:1383-1390.
10. Salisbury DM, Hutfilz P, Treen LM, Bollin GE, Gautam S. The effect of rings on microbial load of health care workers' hands. Am J Infect Control 1997; 25:24-27.
11. Waterman TR, Smeak DD, Kowalski J, Hade EM. Comparison of bacterial counts in glove juice of surgeons wearing smooth band rings versus those without rings. Am J Infect Control 2006; 34:421-425.
12. Boyce JM, Pittet D. Guideline for hand hygiene in health-care settings: recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2002; 23:S3-40.
13. Fagernes M. Ringbruk i sykepleiepraksis. Norsk tidsskrift for sykepleieforskning 2000; 2:160-169.
14. Fagernes M, Nord R. A study of microbial load of different types of finger rings worn by healthcare personnel. Vård i Norden In press.
15. European Committee for Standardization. EN 1499 Chemical disinfectants and antiseptics - hygienic handwash - test methods and requirements (phase 2/step 2). Brussels: European Committee for Standardization; 1997.
16. Aly R, Maibach HI. Comparative study on the antimicrobial effect of 0.5% chlorhexidine gluconate and 70% isopropyl alcohol on the normal flora of hands. Appl Environ Microbiol 1979; 37:610-613.
17. Cremieux A, Reverdy ME, Pons JL, et al. Standardized method for evaluation of hand disinfection by surgical scrub formulations. Appl Environ Microbiol 1989; 55:2944-2948.
18. Larson E, Aiello A, Lee LV, la-Latta P, Gomez-Duarte C, Lin S. Short- and long-term effects of handwashing with antimicrobial or plain soap in the community. J Community Health 2003; 28:139-150.
19. Larson EL, Strom MS, Evans CA. Analysis of three variables in sampling solutions used to assay bacteria of hands: type of solution, use of antiseptic neutralizers, and solution temperature. J Clin Microbiol 1980; 12:355-360.
20. Larson EL, Eke PI, Laughon BE. Efficacy of alcohol-based hand rinses under frequent-use conditions. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1986; 30:542-544.
21. Larson EL, Laughon BE. Comparison of four antiseptic products containing chlorhexidine gluconate. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1987; 31:1572-1574.
22. Larson EL, Hughes CA, Pyrek JD, Sparks SM, Cagatay EU, Bartkus JM. Changes in bacterial flora associated with skin damage on hands of health care personnel. Am J Infect Control 1998; 26:513-521.
23. Larson EL, Aiello AE, Heilman JM, et al. Comparison of different regimens for surgical hand preparation. AORN J 2001; 73:412-418, 420.
24. Spradlin CT. Bacterial abundance on hands and its implications for clinical trials of surgical scrubs. J Clin Microbiol 1980; 11:389-393.
25. Tvedt C. Håndhygiene. Hovedoppgave i helsefag. Oslo: University of Oslo; 2001.
26. Reybrouck G. Role of the hands in the spread of nosocomial infections. 1. J Hosp Infect 1983; 4:103-110.
27. McBryde ES, Bradley LC, Whitby M, McElwain DL. An investigation of contact transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Hosp Infect 2004; 58:104-108.
28. Casewell M, Phillips I. Hands as route of transmission for Klebsiella species. Br Med J 1977; 2:1315-1317.
29. Waters V, Larson E, Wu F, et al. Molecular epidemiology of gram-negative bacilli from infected neonates and healthcare workers' hands in neonatal intensive care units. Clin Infect Dis 2004; 38:1682-1687.
30. Wongworawat MD, Jones SG. Influence of rings on the efficacy of hand sanitization and residual bacterial contamination. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2007; 28:351-353.
31. Rodriguez-Bano J, Paterson DL. A change in the epidemiology of infections due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing organisms. Clin Infect Dis 2006; 42:935-937.
32. Ben-Ami R, Schwaber MJ, Navon-Venezia S, et al. Influx of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae into the hospital. Clin Infect Dis 2006; 42:925-934.
33. Gunale A, von BH, Wendt C. Survival of cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae on fingers. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2006; 27:974-977.