(Press-News.org)
Study Finds Hospital Surfaces Can Harbor Harmful Microbes Even After Routine Disinfection
Microbial contamination, including harmful pathogens, was found on bed rails, workstations, and other frequently-touched surfaces
Arlington, Va. — January 11, 2024 — A new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) reports microbial contamination — including pathogenic and potentially pathogenic bacteria — on high-touch hospital surfaces despite compliance with recommended disinfection protocols. The findings shed light on the persistent challenge of reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and indicate that innovative strategies may be needed for more effective disinfection of these surfaces.
The risk of microbial contamination on hospital surfaces is a well-known factor in the spread of HAIs, and it has led to carefully established disinfection procedures to keep patients and healthcare workers safe. But as this new study demonstrates, current best practices in routine hospital disinfection may not be sufficient to prevent the spread of pathogens, particularly for surfaces that are frequently touched by many different people.
The study was conducted at the Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, where researchers collected samples from 400 surfaces between June and July of 2022. They focused on high-touch surfaces such as simulation manikins used for resuscitation practice, workstations on wheels, breakroom tables, bed rails, and computer keyboards at nurse’s stations. All of these surfaces were found to harbor bacteria, and manikins and bed rails also had the most diverse types of bacteria.
A total of 60 different kinds of bacteria were identified across all samples, including 18 well-known human pathogens and a number of bacteria that can be pathogenic to humans under certain circumstances. The most common types of known pathogenic bacteria included Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella aerogenes, among others. Some of the potentially pathogenic types of bacteria have been associated with central-line associated bloodstream infections, meningitis, and endocarditis. About half of the bacteria identified through these samples were also found in clinical samples collected from patients during 2022.
“It is a continuing frustration to healthcare professionals that HAIs persist despite rigorous attention to disinfection practices,” said Piyali Chatterjee, PhD, Research Scientist at Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System and senior author of this paper. “Our study clearly shows the bioburden associated with high-touch hospital surfaces — including simulation manikins, which are not typically regarded as a risk because patients rarely touch them — and indicates that we must do better in protecting the health of our patients and our hospital employees.”
“This study underscores the critical value of infection prevention and control efforts in our healthcare systems,” said Tania Bubb, PhD, RN, CIC, FAPIC, 2024 APIC president. “By understanding the gaps in our current disinfection protocols, we can focus on developing more effective protocols and education strategies to prevent the spread of dangerous organisms and better protect patients and healthcare workers from HAIs.”
About APIC
Founded in 1972, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is the leading association for infection preventionists and epidemiologists. With more than 15,000 members, APIC advances the science and practice of infection prevention and control. APIC carries out its mission through research, advocacy, and patient safety; education, credentialing, and certification; and fostering development of the infection prevention and control workforce of the future. Together with our members and partners, we are working toward a safer world through the prevention of infection. Join us and learn more at apic.org.
About AJIC
As the official peer-reviewed journal of APIC, The American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) is the foremost resource on infection control, epidemiology, infectious diseases, quality management, occupational health, and disease prevention. Published by Elsevier, AJIC also publishes infection control guidelines from APIC and the CDC. AJIC is included in Index Medicus and CINAHL. Visit AJIC at ajicjournal.org.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
“Understanding the significance of microbiota recovered from healthcare surfaces,” by Chetan Jinadatha, Thanuri Navarathna, Juan Negron-Diaz, Gautam Ghamande, Brandon A. Corona, Andres Adrianza, John David Coppin, Hosoon Choi, and Piyali Chatterjee, was published online in AJIC on January 11, 2024. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2023.11.006
AUTHORS
Piyali Chatterjee, PhD (Corresponding author: Piyali.Chatterjee@va.gov), Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System
Chetan Jinadatha, MD, MPH, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System
Thanuri Navarathna, BS, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System
Juan Negron-Diaz, MD, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, Baylor Scott and White Health
Gautam Ghamande, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System
Brandon A Corona, BS, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System
Andres Adrianza, MD, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, Baylor Scott and White Health
John David Coppin, MPH, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System
Hosoon Choi, PhD, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System
# # #
END
In a study published in Nature Biotechnology, GAO Caixia's group from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a series of new prime editors based on the Cas12a protein, further expanding the targeting scope and applications of precision genome editing.
Prime editing (PE) enables precise, targeted DNA insertions, deletions, and replacements. To date, all efficient prime editors have been based on Cas9. However, the Cas9 has certain disadvantages that limit the broad application of prime editors. For example, it is too large, experiences higher levels of off-target editing, and has limited effectiveness ...
Exploring advanced combustion mode with high efficiency and low emissions has been the dream of successive generations of researchers. Conventional diesel engines have high compression ratios thus with thermal efficiencies of 35%–45%, but the diffusion combustion
characteristics of diesel make NOx and soot emissions high. Gasoline compression ignition (GCI) is an advanced combustion mode in the field of internal combustion engines, which combines the advantages of the high efficiency of diesel engines and the low emissions of gasoline engines. Although the GCI mode ...
Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) have matured to commercial level. Yet, their widespread market adoption is hindered due to high costs and complicated device architecture. Researchers are actively exploring innovative device engineering strategies to circumvent these issues.
Narayanan Unni and co-workers have tried to address the above challenges by exploiting a concept called exciplex. Exciplex emission is possible at the interface of two different materials which may not be luminescent themselves. This provides an opportunity to use relatively cheaper materials instead of costly fluorescent or phosphorescent emitter materials. They ...
OAKLAND, CA – The California Energy Commission (CEC) has selected PSE Healthy Energy to support their development of social cost and non-energy benefit metrics for the deployment of clean energy resources. These metrics will be used to evaluate scenarios for achieving California’s clean energy goals, including through California’s 100 percent clean energy target, as defined in Senate Bill 100 (SB100).
“Transitioning to 100 percent renewable and zero-carbon electricity resources by 2045 will reshape California’s energy systems,” ...
People taking medical cannabis for chronic pain have a slightly increased risk of arrhythmia, according to research published in the European Heart Journal [1] today (Thursday). Arrhythmia is when the heart beats too slowly, too quickly or irregularly. It includes conditions like atrial fibrillation.
Recreational use of cannabis has been linked to cardiovascular disease but there has been very little research on the side effects of medical cannabis.
Researchers say the new study is important as a growing number of countries now permit medical cannabis as a treatment for chronic pain.
The study was ...
Researchers from The University of Queensland have launched the world’s biggest drug survey, to gain insight into drug use around the globe.
The Global Drug Survey was founded by Professor Adam Winstock from University College London and has been running annually since 2012.
This year the survey is led by Dr Cheneal Puljevic from UQ’s School of Public Health.
“The aim of the Global Drug Survey is to make drug use safer for people, regardless of the drug’s legality,” Dr Puljevic said.
“We hope to gain insight ...
Sixty percent of US physicians serving as panel and task force members for the American Psychiatric Association’s official manual of psychiatric disorders received payments from industry totalling $14.24m, finds a study published by The BMJ.
Because of the enormous influence of diagnostic and treatment guidelines, the researchers say their findings “raise questions about the editorial independence of this diagnostic manual.”
Often referred to as the ‘bible’ of psychiatric disorders, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR) ...
Women who suffer depression during or after pregnancy have a higher risk of death by both natural and unnatural causes, a new study of childbirth in Sweden published in The BMJ reports. The increased risk peaks in the month after diagnosis but remains elevated for as long as 18 years afterwards.
Women who develop perinatal depression, which is to say depression during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth, are generally twice as likely to die of natural or, as in most cases, unnatural causes. They are six times more likely to commit than women without this form of depression. The increase ...
Study shows that combining whole genome sequence and clinical data together at scale supports the delivery of precision cancer care, where cancer diagnosis and treatment is tailored to the individual patient
Results support increased use of genomic testing in cancer care via the NHS Genomic Medicine Service
The research shows the value of data from the ground-breaking 100,000 Genomes Project to improve understanding of cancer and help researchers to develop new treatments.
In the largest study of its kind, scientists today report how combining health data with whole genome sequence (WGS) data in patients with cancer can help doctors provide more tailored care for ...
A Rutgers biophysical chemist and his brother, a political scientist on the West Coast, have joined intellectual forces, realizing a long-standing dream of co-authoring an article that bridges their disciplines involving cells and society.
In their paper, they have proposed that powerful parallels exist between the microscopic, natural world of cells and molecules and the human-forged realm of organizations and political systems.
Taking it a step further, the brothers – eminent scholars who have served as top leaders of their respective institutions – have proposed that humankind can draw lessons from what the microscopic and macroscopic worlds have in common. Ideally, ...
