32(03) 206-209 
| Contamination of X-ray Cassettes with Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus in a Radiology Department |
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| Jae-Seok Kim, M.D.1, Han-Sung Kim, M.D.1, Ji-Young Park, M.D.1, Hyun-Sook Koo, R.N.2, Chul-Sun Choi, M.D.3, Wonkeun Song, M.D.1, Hyoun Chan Cho, M.D.1, and Kyu Man Lee, M.D.1 | | Department of Laboratory Medicine1, Hallym University College of Medicine; Hospital Infection Control Office2, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital; Department of Radiology3, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea | |
| Background: We performed surveillance cultures of the surfaces of X-ray cassettes to assess
contamination with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Methods: The surfaces of 37 X-ray cassettes stored in a radiology department were cultured
using mannitol salt agar containing 6 μg/mL oxacillin. Suspected methicillin-resistant
staphylococcal colonies were isolated and identified by biochemical testing. Pulsed-field
gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis was performed to determine the clonal relationships of
the contaminants.
Results: Six X-ray cassettes (16.2%) were contaminated with MRSA. During the isolation
procedure, we also detected 19 X-ray cassettes (51.4%) contaminated with methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus haemolyticus (MRSH), identified as yellow colonies resembling
MRSA on mannitol salt agar. PFGE analysis of the MRSA and MRSH isolates revealed that
most isolates of each organism were identical or closely related to each other, suggesting a
common source of contamination.
Conclusions: X-ray cassettes, which are commonly in direct contact with patients, were
contaminated with MRSA and MRSH. In hospital environments, contaminated X-ray cassettes
may serve as fomites for methicillin-resistant staphylococci. |
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2012 May; 32(03) 206-209 |
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| DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.3343/alm.2012.32.3.206 |
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| Keyword : Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, MRSA, X-ray cassette, Contamination, Radiology, Infection control |
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