Healthcare Hygiene magazine October 2019 | Page 19

patients with C. auris infections that were admitted to the University of Chicago Medicine (UCM). In their study, the researchers collected environmental samples to assess environmental contamination before and after cleaning. They sampled the following surfaces: Bathroom sink drain, bedside table, bedrail, mattress, chair and window ledge. Routine terminal cleaning included using a 10 percent so- dium hypochlorite solution that was applied to high-touch surfaces of the patient room and bathroom. The enhanced terminal cleaning process also included removing and replacing privacy curtains, using a single UV disinfection cycle in the room and bathroom, as well as supervision of the process by the environmental services manager. The researchers note that due to a delay in identification of C auris for the first patient, pre-cleaning samples were taken more than two weeks after the patient had been discharged. During the intervening weeks, multiple patients had occupied the room and there had been more than three routine terminal cleanings. None of these samples was positive for C auris. Pre-cleaning, in-residence sam- ples indicated C auris contamination of multiple surfaces for the second patient. Because of transfers within the institution, there are three sets of post-cleaning cultures for the second patient. All post-cleaning environmental cultures were negative for both patients. The researchers concluded that while routine terminal cleaning may have been effective in removing C auris from surfaces in one patient’s room, the enhanced terminal cleaning strategy used here was effective in their facility. In their study, Kean, et al. (2018) evaluated a panel of C. auris clinical isolates on different surface environments against the standard disinfectant sodium hypochlorite and high-level disinfectant peracetic acid. The researchers note that, “C. auris was shown to selectively tolerate clinically rele- vant concentrations of sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid in a surface-dependent manner, which may explain its ability to successfully persist within the hospital environment.” The implications for infection control are significant, and Kean, et al. (2018) add that, “Understanding the mechanisms of spread and survival of this pathogen in the hospital environment is therefore crucial, particularly as it may persist on plastics and steel, and survive as biofilms. Several recent investigations have confirmed that C. auris is capable of prolonged survival on surfaces and have shown that surface disinfection protocols have variable and unsatisfactory outcomes. Since it has been shown recently that 1,000 ppm of an active chlorine solution is highly effective against these organisms when tested in suspension, the interaction between the pathogen and surfaces is likely to be important in determining survival of C. auris in the hospital environment. Our own work confirms this, with C. auris biofilms being generally insensitive to a range of key antimicrobial agents, thus prolonging their survival capacity.” This article (with references) continues online, visit: https://www.healthcarehygienemagazine.com/microbiology/ YOUR SAFETY ASSURANCE POLICY. How often do you change your privacy curtains and can you validate the exchange? Curtains are often infected with MRSA, C. diff and VRE after just 2 weeks! INFECTION CONTROL CLINICAL EDUCATION POLICIES & PROCEDURES SPD PROCESS IMPROVEMENT Our Compliance Software supports your infection prevention protocols, providing data on all exchanges including ISO, in real time. 2:30 PM 55% Scan ONE CURTAIN SCAN BED Headwall 04:b2:39:8a:27:49:80 2 New curtain 04:2f:37:8a:27:49:81 Installed: Term: [email protected] #WEFIGHTDIRTY www.healthcarehygienemagazine.com • october 2019 Click here to request a free online demo Current curtain 04:4d:38:8a:27:49:81 1 3 CALL TODAY: 512-589-5168 BEYONDCLEAN.NET TAG INFO CONTINUE 4 01 Dec 2018 30 Jan 2019 SKIP THIS STEP Save transaction 19