A new study suggests cleaning therapy dogs with special antibacterial shampoo and wipes reduces methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) threat.
Therapy dogs help ease stress in young patients with cancer, but can spread methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), putting vulnerable kids at risk for a serious infection, according to an article on the Infection Control Today website.
While MRSA carriage usually doesn't lead to infection in healthy people, the risk of infection is greater for people whose immune system is weakened.
The study also found that patients who interacted closely with the dogs were six times more likely to become MRSA carriers than those who didn't interact closely. But once the dogs were decolonized, the risk for becoming MRSA carriers was no different in the close interaction group, the article said.
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