Evaluation of adenosine triphosphate bioluminescence-based system in rooms occupied by patients with methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Background Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-based monitoring systems can detect the amount of organic matter that remains on hospital surfaces after cleaning. We evaluated an ATP-based monitoring system in assessing contamination of high touched objects in rooms occupied by patients on methicillin resistant S. aureus precautions. Methods We compared the ATP to standard aerobic cultures as well as to gloved hand culture to predict risk of healthcare-worker hand contamination. Results More than a third of high touch object surfaces were measured unclean with ATP yet only reflects about 5% chance of contaminating healthcare-workers’ hands. Conclusions Our study emphasizes the shortcomings of using the ATP system even in pathogen specific environment such as surfaces in methicillin resistant S. aureus rooms.