Search and you will find: detecting extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae from a patient's immediate environment.

Contamination of inanimate surfaces contribute to the transmission of healthcare-associated infection which is well documented for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci VRE (3, 5, 10). The high rate of skin colonisation with these bacteria among healthcare workers increases the risk of cross-contamination of high-touch surfaces (6). Since Gram-negative bacteria survive poorly on surfaces, their role in transmission of infection has not been as widely investigated. Extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing enterobacteriaciae (ESBL-PE) are now widespread and endemic in nosocomial settings (2, 4) and given the increasing prevalence of infections involving ESBL-PE, the role of the environment in ESBL-PE transmission should be explored. This study reports the evaluation of two ESBL-PE recovery methods from typical hospital surface materials and their application for recovery of ESBL-PE adjacent to an ESBL-positive patient.