First the bad news:
According to the February 2000 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci can survive very well in hospitals. That's why the risk of getting a serious infection in a hospital is sometimes greater than anywhere else.
When researchers put some of these bacteria on lab coats, towels, curtains and other fabrics around a hospital, all the bacteria remained active for at least one day. Some were strong enough to cause an infection for up to three months.
Now the good news:
According to the November-December 1999 issue of the Journal of Burn Care Rehabilitation, these same bacteria can be killed inside of two hours with a simple spray of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide.
