Microbial contamination of topical medicaments used in the treatment and prevention of pressure sores

Abstract

SUMMARYTopical medicaments used in the treatment and prevention of pressure sores in patients in three hospitals were examined for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus contamination. Contamination rates were found to vary between hospitals and were affected by differences in the packaging of the product and in the method of application used by the nursing staff.

Contaminated medicaments in use in a hospital for diseases of the skin

“…aeruginosa and 20-50 % with Staph. aureus (Baird et al 1979). Topical medicaments used by skin patients might be expected to be equally heavily contaminated but interestingly, medicaments initially examined in this study had a low rate of contamination (5 % with Ps.…”

“…Pharmaceutical products used for topical application in hospital are prone to contamination by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus (Noble & Savin, 1966;Baird et al 1979). Inadvertent use of such products by several patients may be associated with the development of cross-infection.…”

Microbial Contamination of Non-Sterile Pharmaceutical Products Made in Hospitals in the North East Thames Regional Health Authority

“…It is well known that pharmaceutical products are susceptible to microbial contamination, during both manufacture and use (1,2). Such contamination may result in gross spoilage of the product and ensuing financial loss, and the use of such products may present a potential health hazard to patients (3,4,5,6). In recent years attention has focused on non-sterile products made in hospital pharmacies, and here Pseudomonas aeruginosa has proved a notorious contaminant, being isolated from a wide range of aqueous products, including disinfectants, mixtures, creams and lotions (7).…”