The Microbiome of an Outpatient Sports Medicine Clinic During a Global Pandemic: Effects of Implementation of a Microbiome-Specific Cleaning Program.

ABSTRACT: Outpatient healthcare facilities represent potential sources of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The purpose of this study was to survey high-contact surfaces in an outpatient physical therapy clinic, characterize the microbiome of those surfaces, and investigate the effects of a microbiome-specific cleaning and hygiene plan. Hand sanitizer containing a fluorescent probe used by patients and staff identified surface contact. High-contact surfaces were analyzed for bacterial DNA and SARS-CoV-2. A microbiome-specific cleaning and hygiene plan was developed based on initial analysis. After the implementation of the revised cleaning regimen, microbial community diversity and predicted metagenome content (PICRUSt) were employed for differential analysis. Patients had greater surface con

SUBMITTER: Russell G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12029496 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature