Bacterial Contamination of the Anesthesia Work Area: Hands, Patients, and Things

This chapter describes the bacterial contamination of the anesthesia work area. Even though transmission of pathogens from the inanimate environment to patient’s body surfaces through healthcare worker’s hands has been well documented outside the operating room, the same is not the case inside the operating room. Many factors seem to influence these behaviors inside the operating room, including the misconception that the operating room is sterile and the lack of awareness and follow-up of subsequent healthcare-associated infections that might arise among these patients.