A study of yeast carriage on hands of hospital personnel.

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted by culture with a modified broth wash technique to examine the frequency of yeast carriage on the hands of 60 nurses and 35 nonnursing hospital employees. Seventy two percent of the nurses and 80% of the nonnurses were harbouring yeast on their hands. Candida spp. were isolated in 57% on of nurses and 34% of nonnurses. Ninety percent of nurses working in nursing home care unit (NHCU), 50% working in intensive care unit (ICU) and 75% working in outpatient department (OPD) carried yeasts on their hands. Only 80% of nonnurses staff harboured yeasts on their hands.