Home Laundering Doesn’t Disinfect Healthcare Worker Apparel

Healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are major public health concerns, and the evidence is growing for the potential role of clothing in microbial transmission. For example, a recent study published in PLoS One found healthcare workers who wash their scrubs at home may be unknowingly contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections in hospitals.

To study whether home washing machines effectively decontaminated healthcare worker uniforms, researchers washed contaminated fabric swatches in six different consumer-grade washing machines in hot water, using rapid and normal cycles.

Researchers found that half of the machines did not disinfect the clothing during a rapid cycle, and one-third unsuccessfully disinfected during the standard cycle.

After each washing, DNA sequencing of biofilm samples from the washing machine’s interior recorded the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes.

The study also discovered that bacteria can develop resistance to domestic detergents, which also increased their resistance to certain antibiotics. In turn, researchers propose that the laundering guidelines given to healthcare workers should be reviewed to guarantee that home washing machines can clean apparel effectively.

For more recent studies on germ transport on clothing, click here to read an article from ISSA’s Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner.