Bacterial transmission Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Bacterial transmission - Thesis Example Respiratory bacteria are mainly dispersed in the air through droplets of saliva and mucous produced when one coughs, sneezes, talks or laughs (Shrutz, 2003). According to Rutala et al. (2006), the microbes, which are freely present in the the air, can in most cases be evident on computer keyboards. In this case, their source is likely to be from human contagion. According to Ellis (2006), German researchers evaluated the ability of transmittable organisms to thrive on non-living surfaces. They realized that bacteria that are gram-positive can thrive on dry surfaces for a long time, with the inclusion of vancomycin resistant enterococcus (VRE), methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), as well as Streptococcus pyogenes. The study further indicated that bacteria that are gram-negative bacteria thrive longer than the gram-positive ones. Kramer et al. (2006) stated that, a lot of the nosocomial pathogens could survive on surfaces for months. Further, with respect to the hospital environment, nasocomial pathogens are found to mainly infect the contact areas of hands (Ellis, 2006). These act as the medium for cross-transmission. This clearly shows the introduction of a constant transmission source if no standard measures for disinfection are taken. 1.1. Statement of the problem ... Be it in hospitals or any other public or private facility, the computer keyboard is being used every day to efficiently make service delivery more effective. Keyboards have been proven by researchers to be suitable fomites for bacteria to growth and thrive (Bergstrom, 2012; Hartman, 2004). This is due to the high level of contact increasing contamination, as well as their environment supporting the growth and development of the microbes. According to Anderson and Palombo (2009), research from Swisburne University technology in Australia showed that keyboards used by many people tend to be more contaminated by bacteria than personal ones. Furthermore, research by the University of Arizona as cited in Miller et al (2010) stated that an average PC has 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat. This clearly shows how keyboards used in hospitals require measures to counter the effects of the pathogens via strategic and sustainable 1.1. Background information This survey assess ed the presence of nosocomial pathogens and their resistance to drugs. Numerous studies recent past have been initiated with regard to the role played by the healthcare environment in the transmission of diseases (Kramer et al, 2006). A cause behind the transmission has been attributed to the inanimate surfaces that have been clearly described as definitive sources for outbreaks of nosocomial infections (Kramer et al, 2006). According to Rutala et al (2006), Enterococcus species are among the various bacteria that have been proven to be found in the healthcare environment. It has been considered less probable for a patient to contract a Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) directly from an inanimate