R&D Project B(03)02: The effect of humidity on the survival of MRSA on hard surfaces

The aim of this study was to measure the effect that different humidities potentially achievable on a hospital ward have on survival of MRSA on hard surfaces typically used in hospitals. The investigation revealed that surface type had a greater effect on the rate of reduction of MRSA than that of humidity and that different types of disinfectant/detergent appear to have different efficacies on different surface/material types. This report and the work it describes were undertaken by the Health and Safety laboratory under contract to NHS Estates (now the Estates and Facilities Division of the Department of health)