Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125672535 - Feather River Hospital

Inspection Information - Office: Redding District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 8:00 a.m. on January 19, 2000, Employee #1, a housekeeper in the custodial department of a medium-sized hospital, noticed that her left hand was stinging. She removed her glove and found a small cut. Upon awakening the following day, she saw that the cut was infected, with a red streak trailing up her arm. She underwent minor surgery at the hospital to remove infected tissue from her hand and was put on antibiotics. A tissue culture revealed the infectious agent to be Pasteurella multocida, a bacterium usually acquired from the bites and/or scratches of domestic animals. Employee #1 did not know where she got the small cut or infection, but later stated that the infection was probably acquired from handling a cat at home. Employee #1 was hospitalized for a day, then released to recover at home. Her normal duties at the hospital included cleaning the restrooms, examination rooms, and surgery suites.

Keywords: JANITOR, CLEANING, LACERATION, ANIMAL BITE, HAND