Adhesive tape in the health care setting: another high-risk fomite?

Harris, Patrick N A; Ashhurst-Smith, Chris; Berenger, Sandy J; Shoobert, Alison; Ferguson, John K

doi:10.5694/mja11.11211

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To the Editor: We read with interest the article by Pinto and colleagues regarding colonisation of reusable tourniquets by multiresistant organisms (MROs).1 We highlight that surgical adhesive tape also has the potential to act as a significant fomite in health care settings.

Hunter Area Pathology Service, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW.

Correspondence: patrick.harris@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

1. Pinto AN, Phan T, Sala G, et al. Reusable venesection tourniquets: a potential source of hospital transmission of multiresistant organisms. Med J Aust 2011; 195: 276-279. <MJA full text>
2. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Performance standards for antimicrobial susceptibility testing; twentieth informational supplement. CLSI document M100-S20. Wayne, Pa: CLSI, 2010.
3. Redelmeier DA, Livesley NJ. Adhesive tape and intravascular-catheter-associated infections. J Gen Intern Med 1999; 14: 373-375.
4. Everett ED, Pearson S, Rogers W. Rhizopus surgical wound infection with elasticized adhesive tape dressings. Arch Surg 1979; 114: 738-739.
5. Wilcox MH, Fitzgerald P, Freeman J, et al. A five year outbreak of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus phage type 53,85 in a regional neonatal unit. Epidemiol Infect 2000; 124: 37-45.
6. Berkowitz DM, Lee WS, Pazin GJ, et al. Adhesive tape: potential source of nosocomial bacteria. Appl Microbiol 1974; 28: 651-654.

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