A study published in the American Journal of Infection Control found a high percentage of privacy curtains in hospitals can pose a threat to patient safety because they frequently test positive for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Even after they are freshly laundered, curtains in patient care areas become increasingly contaminated over time – in as little as two weeks – through frequent touching.
Research shows that proper, consistent cleaning of privacy curtains and other contact surfaces and furnishings in medical facilities can help prevent the spread of MRSA, C. Difficile and other harmful organisms.