Table 2
Studies Investigating Computer Contamination and Patient Colonizations or Infections
| Infection Control Measures | |||||
| Year | Author | Study Scope | Primary Findings | Before Study | Added After Study |
| 1995 | Masterton et al. | Case study, one home computer | MRSA on home computer contributed to MRSA carriage of nurse | None reported | Decontaminate home computer |
| 1998 | Isaacs et al. | 27 hospital computers tested 1 time | Antibiotic resistant microbes sought not found, but S. aureus and Pseudomonas isolated | Keyboard covers, 1 time/day disinfection | None reported |
| 1999 | Neely et al. | Epidemiologic study of A. baumannii colonization | A. baumannii colonization in patients linked to bedside computer keyboards | Keyboard covers, random cleaning | Daily keyboard disinfection; change in hand washing and gloving policy |
| 2000 | Bures et al. | Pulse field gel electrophoresis study of ICU infections | MRSA infections in patients directly linked to computers in ward | None reported | Keyboard covers, disinfected daily; hand washing enforced |
| 2001 | Devine et al. | 25 terminals cultured 1 time in 2 hospitals | 42% of computers positive for MRSA in hospital A, 8% positive in hospital B; hospital A had higher MRSA transfer rate | Hand washing in both hospitals, but monitored in hospital B | Enforce staff hand washing before and after patient contact |
| 2001 | Ivey et al. | Abstract of CPU fan contamination and fungi in patients rooms | No correlation between isolates on CPU fans and fungi in patient’s rooms | None reported | None reported |
