Bacterial contamination in physical therapy departments in the State of Kuwait.
Sameera H Aljadi, Mashael Al-Shemmari, Jumana Al-Ramzi and 4 others
PMID 28626312WHAT IT FOUND
Sponges used for interferential and electrical stimulation therapy were heavily contaminated with bacteria, including pathogens like Acinetobacter baumannii.
Water in hot pack units was also frequently dirty. This suggests equipment may spread infection between patients if disinfection protocols are not strictly followed.
Key findings
0141 of 60 samples (68%) from physical therapy equipment were contaminated with microorganisms.
02Sponges used for therapy had a much higher contamination rate (93.2%) than water samples from hot pack units (43.2%).
03Acinetobacter baumannii, an opportunistic pathogen associated with hospital-acquired infections, was the most common bacterium found (21.9%).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study had a small sample size (60 samples). It was limited to five hospitals in Kuwait, so results may not generalize to other settings. The study did not measure contamination levels before and after treatment, so it cannot confirm transmission between patients, only that the equipment was dirty. It did not assess whether therapists were following disinfection guidelines at the time of sampling.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this study proves that infections were transmitted between patients. It shows that equipment was contaminated, which is a risk factor, but it did not track patient outcomes or compare contamination before and after use.