TRANSMISSION OF URINARY BACTERIAL STRAINS BETWEEN PATIENTS WITH INDWELLING CATHETERS - NURSING IN THE SAME ROOM AND IN SEPARATE ROOMS COMPARED

Despite lack of supporting scientific data it has been suggested that patients with an indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) should be nursed in separate rooms to reduce the risk of cross-infection. me conducted a one-month case-control study of nursing home patients with an IUC and bacteriuria, 20 nursed together pairwise and 20 in separate rooms, by weekly urine cultures and typing of the bacterial isolates. The transm ission rate of urinary strains between patients was three times higher within rooms (5/9 possible transmissions) than between rooms (9/53 po ssible transmissions, P=0.02). The study thus supported nursing IUC pa tients in separate rooms.