Infection-control measures for immunosuppressed transplant patients, which practice is appropriate?

• A. Wearing a mask at all times outside the room.
• B. Fresh flowers and plants are restricted from the room.
• C. Visitors must be restricted to children.
• D. There are no special infection precautions.

Answer: (B)

Fresh flowers and plants in an immunosuppressed transplant patient’s room pose an infection risk because they can harbor mold spores, bacteria, and soil-dwelling organisms that may become airborne or contaminate surfaces. Inhaled or contact exposure to these pathogens can lead to serious infections since the patient’s immune defenses are suppressed by therapy. Limiting fresh flowers and plants reduces this environmental source of infection, which is why it’s an appropriate infection-control practice. Other measures may be used in specific contexts, but they don’t address this particular risk as directly.