A Salt Lake City hospital unit experienced a sharp but temporary decline in patient colonization with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in the year following an extensive renovation, according to an article on the Healio website.
Researchers said the drop was likely because contaminated surfaces had been replaced.
According to the study, VRE is one of the bacterial pathogens with potential to contaminate the surfaces in patient rooms, leading to an increased risk of colonization and infection.
“Thus, remodeling that includes replacement of surfaces could conceivably reduce the rate of infection, at least until environmental recontamination occurs,” researchers said.
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