White coat - is it safe?

Abstract

Background: The transient contamination of medical professional’s attires including white coats is one of the major vehicles for the horizontal transmission of microorganisms in the hospital. In particular, white-coat cuffs had a higher bacterial load than the mouths of the pockets. The bacterial isolates were resistant to nearly all of the antibiotics tested. This study was conducted to determine the level and type of microbial contamination present on the white coats of medical students in order to assess the risk of transmission of pathogenic micro-organisms by this route in a hospital setting. This study was performed in tertiary care hospital to study the white coat as vehicle for bacterial dissemination and to know the way of handling, cleaning of white coat.

Methods: It is observational prospective cross-sectional study conducted at tertiary care hospital. Nurses, interns, residents, technicians are included. Samples are taken from 3 sites of white coat pocket, lapel and collar.

Results: We found that reason to wear white coat is dress code of the hospital. Most of the white coats were washed less than 3 days or less. Pocket was the most common site with MRCONS. Pocket (14%) is the most common contaminated site. Antibiotic sensitivity of organisms is mainly sensitive for ciprofloxacin and vancomycin.

Conclusions: From the above study we confirm white coat carries microorganism hence it spreads nosocomial infection. Hand washing and multiple number white coat use should be encouraged.