Exposure to infected/colonized roommates and prior room occupants increases the risks of healthcare-associated infections with the same organism

Summary Background The survival of pathogenic organisms in the healthcare environment plays a major role in acquiring healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Aim This meta-analysis was conducted to investigate whether pathogenic organisms can be transmitted from roommates and prior room occupants to other inpatients and thus increase the risks of HAIs. Methods PubMed (from January 1966) and Embase (from January 1974) were searched to identify studies up to March 2018. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I -squared statistic. The random-effects model was applied which provides more conservative estimates. Subgroup analyses, cumulative meta-analysis, publication bias diagnosis, and sensitivity analysis were conducted. All the statistical analyses were performed using Stata statistical software version 9.0. Results Twelve studies including 33,153 subjects reported risk from exposure to infected/colonized roommates and nine studies including 49,839 subjects reported risk from infected/colonized prior room occupants. Exposure to infected/colonized roommates and prior room occupants were associated with the increased risks of HAIs with the same organism (odds ratio (OR) = 2.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.61–4.49; OR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.36–2.68; respectively). Sensitivity analyses results did not show major changes in the overall findings. No publication bias was detected. Conclusions This meta-analysis showed exposure to infected/colonized roommates and prior room occupants significantly increased the risks of HAIs with the same organism. Health authorities and hospitals should attach higher importance to the fact that current standards or practices for disinfection and isolation are often not sufficient to block transmission of pathogens in the healthcare settings, which may warrant enhanced terminal and intermittent disinfection and strict isolation for reducing HAIs.