Privacy curtains in hospitals can harbor high levels of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to an article on the Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control website.
A study published in the American Journal of Infection Control tracked the contamination level of 10 freshly laundered privacy curtains at a hospital in Winnipeg, Canada.
The curtains had minimal contamination when they were first hung, but curtains in patient rooms became increasingly contaminated over time.
In two weeks, 87.5 percent of the curtains tested positive for MRSA.
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