Nosocomial klebsiellas: II. Transfer in a hospital ward

Abstract

SUMMARYDuring a 6-month period an epidemiological survey of the carriage ofKlebsiellawas conducted in a hospital ward where no outbreak of nosocomial infection occurred. In this endemic situation the regular sampling of several sites on patients, members of the nursing staff, and the environment, and the biotyping ofKlebsiellamade it possible to analyse the patterns of transmission between sites. There was abundant evidence for striking transmission ofKlebsiellabetween the throat, hands, and faeces of patients. Transmission between patients seemed to be mainly through hands. The role of nurses' hands in transmission was not evident from this survey, probably due to the relatively long interval (a week) between samplings. Through the hands of patients, wash stands and the surrounding floor were contaminated withKlebsiella. The biotyping ofKlebsiellafacilitated the epidemiological analysis of the results.