Detecting Potential Pathogens on Hospital Surfaces: An Assessment of Carpet Tile Flooring in the Hospital Patient Environment

Abstract

The type of flooring in hospitals has long been scrutinized in terms of its potential role in nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections. This study was conducted for the purpose of detecting potential pathogens on tiled carpets, nontiled carpets, and vinyl flooring, all used in a Midwestern community hospital. A swab sampling protocol conducted over a 5-month period, coupled with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis-16S rDNA molecular analysis, allowed for greater than 93% of the major components in the flooring samples to be identified at the genus and species level. This study evaluates the impact of floor finish materials as potential sources of microbial-related hospital-acquired infections.