ROSWELL, GEORGIA, May 29, 2013-

New study results published online in the American Journal of Infection Control found that 93 percent of tested laundered towels used to clean hospital rooms contained bacteria that could result in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

Most people don't expect to leave the hospital sicker than when they came in, but HAIs are a significant problem, with an estimated 1.7 million cases reported annually in the United Statesⁱ. While stringent disinfecting practices are in place to combat HAIs, study results show that traditional hospital laundering practices are not sufficient to remove all viable bacteria from the laundered towels. The study, "Microbial contamination of hospital reusable cleaning towels," conducted by Charles Gerba, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology, University of Arizona, and colleagues from the University of Arizona, with support from Kimberly-Clark, found that:

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