Dangerous MRSA germs in a rental car

Dangerous MRSA germs in recumbent car hire

03/12/2013

Recumbent carts are used more and more often. They should serve as a cheap alternative for transport by ambulance. But it is not always sensible to make cost savings. Particularly in the health and medical sector risks can arise for patients. So did research of the WDR magazine „Westpol“ shown that recumbent carts are increasingly burdened with MRSA germs.

The germs, also known as staphylococci, are widespread in nature. There are also multiresistant germs (MRSA), which can be a health problem due to the difficult antibiotic therapy. In humans, they colonize skin and mucous membranes and are considered pathogens.

A joint study by the Liebig University Giessen, the Goethe University Frankfurt and the Health Department of the City of Frankfurt / Main had frequently found MRSA germs in recumbent rental cars. A total of 74 recumbent rental cars were examined, with one in four demonstrating a contamination with MRSA germs, according to the WDR magazine in its December 1 broadcast. In 70 examined ambulances, however, no germs could be found. The reasons given were the lack of disinfection of the vehicles and the lack of qualified personnel, because recumbent drivers only need a taxi to transport patients. In addition, these vehicles do not have the appropriate medical equipment. In the usual ambulance trained Rescue professionals are used, who have medical knowledge.

Officially, couchettes should only be used on patients who can get in and out without assistance. However, it has been shown that, for example, in North Rhine-Westphalia dialysis patients, patients with open wounds but also MRSA patients were repeatedly transported. Who is ultimately transported by such a couchette car, decides the attending physician. He then has to be liable for any health consequences. Not only medical reasons play a role in the choice of the means of transport, explains the Deputy President of the Society for Hospital Hygiene, Walter Popp. The doctors make their decision also in view of the cost pressure of health insurance companies. According to the IHK Südwestfalen, around one million ambulance transports are carried out every year using couchettes.

In 2011, the Department of Anaesthesiology and the Department of Microbiology of the University Hospital in Ulm also conducted a study on hygiene in 86 ambulances and 64 ambulances. She came to the conclusion that generally the hygiene is ensured in transport vehicles. But the dangers of multi-resistant germs are by no means downplaying. The district court of Bielefeld decided for this reason that only the qualified ambulance should carry MRSA patients. (Fr)