New study finds frequent shedding of infectious pathogens in healthcare settings outside patient rooms

New data suggest that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is frequently shed during outpatient healthcare visits, creating the potential for transmission to other patients and healthcare staff. The findings from a six-month, hospital-based observational study appear in the August issue of the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), the journal of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), and provide some of the first empirical data regarding the frequency of and risk factors for MRSA contamination outside hospital rooms.