Insects in Hospitals: Definite Ick, Unclear Risk

Cockroaches, beg bugs, and flies do not belong in hospitals or other medical facilities. But clinicians do encounter them — hitchhiking on patients’ clothes, scurrying across the floor, and, according to a survey of pest control professionals, in operating rooms and even an MRI scanner .When these critters are found, they can pose clinical dilemmas.For example, can a patient undergo cataract surgery if they are found to have bed bugs when they arrive for their appointment?Can cockroaches transmit antibiotic-resistant bacteria between patient rooms?If drain flies are discovered in a hospital’s sterile core, do all the surgical supplies require reprocessing?Infection preventionists and physicians who have confronted these questions firsthand have shared their experiences with colleagues to…

Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Medscape.