Question

1. The saliva and skin are hospitable environments for bacteria to colonize.

TRUE                              FALSE

Answer 1

True

Saliva is colonized with many bacteria. Droplets of saliva are spread into the environment by talking, breathing, coughing, sneezing, singing and other activities. These activities occur within and outside healthcare facilities, so this risk is not unique to healthcare. Any oral suctioning is an additional risk for contamination of the environment.

Skin: Skin is the body’s largest organ and provides a diverse environment for bacteria, including warm damp areas, cooler dryer areas, hair, no hair and openings into the body (ears, nose, mouth, anus, etc.). Estimates of skin shedding calculate that of the 19 million skin cells on our body, 30,000 to 40,000 skin cells are shed daily. There are up to 1x10¹¹ bacteria per m² on skin, so skin cell shedding involves disseminating significant numbers of bacteria. Patients with burns, autoimmune diseases, morbid obesity or eczema would likely have higher rates of shedding.