Posts Tagged ‘SPORES’
Confronting the hidden threat of C. diff
The power of effective surface decontamination The hidden threat of pathogens like Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) presents a formidable challenge to infection control efforts in healthcare facilities.1 C. diff is an anaerobic, spore-forming, Gram-positive bacterium commonly causing gastrointestinal disease. It spreads through direct or indirect contact between individuals and C. diff infection (CDI) is often…
Read MoreAJIC special issue on cleaning, disinfection, antisepsis and sterilisation
The American Journal of Infection Control has recently published a must-read special issue titled: ‘Disinfection, sterilization, and antisepsis: Principles, practices, current issues, new research, and new technologies.’ The special issue features a series of ‘State of the Science Reviews’ by experts in the field on cleaning and disinfection, skin antisepsis, the role of the environment in emerging…
Read MoreMicrofibre and water isn’t magical
There’s a word on the street that microfibre combined with water is suitable for all cleaning challenges. But a study from Prof Jean-Yves Maillard’s lab in Cardiff suggests that water and microfibre alone achieves only a moderate removal of bacteria from surfaces and readily transfers bacteria between surfaces. Adding disinfectants to microfibre enhances their efficacy considerably. The…
Read MoreSporicidal disinfection should be the basis of all bundles to prevent C. difficile infection
Since the evidence base is limited, knowledge on what really works to prevent the transmission of pathogens that cause HCAI is limited. This is the case for C. difficile and other hospital pathogens. So, we commonly apply bundles of interventions, in the hope that one or more elements of the bundle will be effective. A recent modelling study helps…
Read MoreNeutralising duff “sporicidal” claims of amine-based disinfectants
There is a lot of value to a disinfectant manufacturer of having a sporicidal claim so that the product can be used in healthcare settings to tackle C. difficile spores. However, not all products with a sporicidal claim are in fact sporicidal! Amine-based disinfectants with “sporicidal” claims are being seen increasingly in the marketplace, but these products are unlikely…
Read MoreUV light vs. Candida auris
A US study has found that Candida auris exhibited a similar level of susceptibility to UV light as Clostridium difficile spores, and was considerably less susceptible than MRSA. These findings suggest that either extended exposure UV cycles or hydrogen peroxide based room disinfection are required to address environmental contamination with Candida auris. We have posted before on the efficacy of various disinfectants against Candida auris, supporting…
Read MoreIs your wipe really sporicidal?
Sporicidal disinfectant wipes are being used increasingly for tackling surfaces contaminated with C. difficile spores in hospitals. A wide range of ‘sporicidal’ wipes are coming onto the market. However, concerning published data shows that some wipes marketed as being ‘sporicidal’ do not have meaningful activity against spores when tested under controlled laboratory conditions. This blog outlines three key questions…
Read MoreC. difficile lurking in the laundry
A US study has found C. difficile spores in the hospital laundry. Whilst most of the spores were identified on the dirty side of the laundry, a small number of spores were also identified on the clean side of the laundry. The identification of C. difficile spores in both the clean and dirty hospital laundry could present a potential transmission risk.…
Read MoreUV room decontamination reduces C. difficile transmission
A study from New York reports a reduction in C. difficile infection associated with the introduction of a pulsed-xenon UV (PX-UV) device. The authors performed a before-after study of the impact of adding PX-UV to the terminal disinfection protocol of rooms housing patients requiring contact precautions, with 12 months before and 12 months after implementation. Overall,…
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