I have previously blogged about the role of the environment and infection cross transmission.Here is a bit of a different twist. Its is well known that day-care centers associated with outbreaks of enteric infections such as norovirus and shigella. Investigators from my medical alma mater, the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, studied the role of the day-care environment and viable streptococci.
Direct bacteriologic cultures of items in a day-care center were conducted and demonstrated high levels of viable S.pneumoniae and S.pyogenes. These findings suggest that streptococci may survive in the environment and be transferred from person to person via the environment when contaminated with oropharyngeal secretions containing biofilm streptococci.
Day-care centers are potential dens of contagion.
