Surface microbiological surveillance in a crowded emergency department: interplay of environmental pressure, construction, and disinfection efficacy.

Khedija Zaouche, Lobna Jmal, Ameni Amdouni, Fedia El Ayech, Emna Rezgui, Raida Guidara, Emna Kallel

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Infection prevention in practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Khedija ZaoucheEmergency Department, Mahmoud El Matri Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.

Lobna JmalDepartment of Medical Biology, Mahmoud El Matri Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.

Ameni AmdouniDepartment of Medical Biology, Mahmoud El Matri Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.

Fedia El AyechEmergency Department, Mahmoud El Matri Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.

Emna RezguiEmergency Department, Mahmoud El Matri Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.

Raida GuidaraDepartment of Medical Biology, Mahmoud El Matri Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.

Emna KallelEmergency Department, Mahmoud El Matri Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Environmental surface contamination in emergency departments (EDs) is a recognized contributor to pathogen transmission. However, its relationship with organizational and environmental stressors remains insufficiently characterized. Methods: Between January and November 2025, monthly microbiological surface surveillance was conducted in a tertiary ED with approximately 70,000 annual visits. Standardized sampling using contact plates (25 cm Results: Conclusions: Surface contamination patterns were strongly associated with environmental and organizational stressors rather than disinfection failure. Microbiological surveillance may serve as an operational indicator of system strain in emergency care settings.

Indexed as

Cross-infectionDisinfectionEnvironmental cleaningEnvironmental contaminationHealth and safety

Identifiers

PMID42164819

DOI10.1016/j.infpip.2026.100542

PMCPMC13185975

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.