Journal of Hospital Infection最新文献

{"title":"The canopy: a novel vertical airflow device with ceramic wall flow filters for reducing airborne pathogen spread in hospital rooms","authors":"M. Sousa de Almeida ,&nbsp;A. Mayer ,&nbsp;J. Frey ,&nbsp;C. Lämmle ,&nbsp;A. Petri-Fink ,&nbsp;B. Rothen-Rutishauser ,&nbsp;H. Burtscher","doi":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Aerosol transmission of infectious diseases is of particular concern in hospital and care facilities where isolation rooms are limited, leading to capacity crises in the past, such as during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To introduce a canopy system – a novel vertical airflow system with ceramic wall flow filters designed to reduce the spread of airborne pathogens in hospital environments. The system captures exhaled air above the patient, filters it via ceramic filters, and releases clean air beneath the bed.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Laboratory tests were conducted in controlled environments in small (15 m²) and large (36 m²) rooms. Filtration efficiency was evaluated using nebulized salt particles, nebulized MS2 bacteriophages, and bacteria exhaled by an adult sleeping in the bed. The performance of the system was further tested in conjunction with hospital curtains to assess combined effectiveness.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Filtration efficiency reached 95% for nebulized salt particles, 87% for nebulized MS2 bacteriophages, and 92% for bacteria exhaled by an adult sleeping in the bed. Hospital curtains alone provided a modest reduction in aerosol spread; however, their performance was enhanced when used alongside the vertical airflow system.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These results confirm the potential of the canopy system to reduce nosocomial infections by reducing aerosol concentrations. The innovative combination of vertical airflow and robust filtration technology offers a practical solution for improving air quality and protecting patients and healthcare workers in hospitals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54806,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospital Infection","volume":"162 ","pages":"Pages 339-350"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144250944","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Viral acute respiratory infections in neonatal intensive care healthcare workers: a nine-month point-prevalence cohort study","authors":"R. Luoto ,&nbsp;E. Aavasalo ,&nbsp;M. Waris ,&nbsp;L. Lehtonen ,&nbsp;V. Peltola ,&nbsp;O. Ruuskanen","doi":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Healthcare-acquired viral acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a common problem in neonatal care. Health-care workers may transmit viruses to neonates when having a symptomatic or asymptomatic ARI.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>This prospective nine-month repeated point-prevalence cohort study aimed to investigate the occurrence and aetiology of asymptomatic and symptomatic ARIs in health-care employees in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Flocked nasal swabs were collected on every second Tuesday in a NICU from all personnel working on that day. Additionally, in the case of ARI symptoms, a nasal swab was self-collected by the study subjects.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>A virus was detected in 16 (3.3%) of the asymptomatic subjects. Altogether 36 symptomatic ARIs (mean 0.5 per person) were reported.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our data suggests that ARIs are not uncommon among NICU health-care workers and moreover are commonly asymptomatic. It is noteworthy that these individuals may transmit.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54806,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospital Infection","volume":"162 ","pages":"Pages 136-139"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144250945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bacterial recolonization of hospital sink biofilms","authors":"H.G. Healy ,&nbsp;E. Pawluk ,&nbsp;L. Dieter ,&nbsp;S.C. Roberts ,&nbsp;W. Tanner ,&nbsp;T. Mathew ,&nbsp;D. Peaper ,&nbsp;R.A. Martinello ,&nbsp;J. Peccia","doi":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Hospital sink drains are known reservoirs for many pathogens that cause healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Drain bacteria can migrate up to the drain cover and then spread to surrounding surfaces and patients through droplet dispersal during sink use. Therefore, cleaning sink surfaces represents a key intervention strategy to limit transmission between drains and patients.</div></div><div><h3>Aims</h3><div>In this study, we aimed to: (1) characterize microbial community taxonomy and abundance in sink components and (2) evaluate the kinetics and sources of bacterial recolonization onto sink surfaces after cleaning.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Drainpipes, drain covers, sink basins, drinking water, and p-trap liquid from hospital sinks in New Haven, CT, USA were sampled before and after intervention surface cleaning/disinfection (<em>N</em> = 251). Bacterial abundance and taxonomy were assessed via culture counts, digital droplet PCR, MALDI-ToF, and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Drain biofilms had median bacterial abundance of 1.80 × 10⁸ 16S rRNA gene copies/cm² and 2.06 × 10⁶ cfu/cm², which correlated with bacterial abundance on sink surfaces. Hallway sinks, which were used more frequently than patient room sinks, had higher bacterial abundance. Drain microbial communities largely consisted of novosphingobium and sphingobium, with detection of acinetobacter, pseudomonas, legionella, and stenotrophomonas. Sink surfaces had abundant mycobacterium, methylobacterium–methylorubrum, and sphingobium, as well as genera common to skin microbiomes (e.g., corynebacterium, staphylococcus, streptococcus). Immediately after cleaning/disinfection, culturable bacteria were generally undetectable on drain covers; bacterial gene copies were reduced but rebounded to over 80% of pre-cleaning levels within 24 h. After seven days, 9.2% of recolonizing bacteria were derived from drains, and 15.7% were from tap water.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study contributes to our understanding of factors that influence pathogen abundance on hospital sink surfaces and limitations of routine cleaning and disinfection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54806,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospital Infection","volume":"162 ","pages":"Pages 95-105"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144227699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trends in incidence rates of micro-organisms among patients with bloodstream infections at intensive care units in South Korea from 2011 to 2022: data from the Korean National Healthcare-Associated Infections Surveillance System (KONIS)","authors":"Y-M. Lee ,&nbsp;D.Y. Kim ,&nbsp;E.J. Kim ,&nbsp;K-H. Park ,&nbsp;M.S. Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.04.037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.04.037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Trends in the microbiological distribution and incidence rates of multi-drug-resistant pathogens in patients with bloodstream infections (BSIs) in intensive care units (ICUs) were evaluated.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the Korean National Healthcare-Associated Infections Surveillance System. Annual trends in micro-organism distributions and multi-drug-resistant pathogens in patients with BSIs were investigated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The incidence rate of BSI due to <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> decreased from 33.1 per 100,000 patient-days in 2011 to 9.7 per 100,000 patient-days in 2022. The incidence rate of BSI due to <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em> increased from 6.4 per 100,000 patient-days in 2015 to 12.1 per 100,000 patient-days in 2022. The incidence rate of BSI due to meticillin-resistant <em>S. aureus</em> (MRSA) (28.8/100.000 patient-days in 2011; 7.3/100,000 patient-days in 2022) and the percentage of MRSA strains (91.8% in 2011; 76.7% in 2022) decreased throughout the study period. The incidence rate of BSI due to imipenem-resistant <em>K. pneumoniae</em> increased significantly from 0.3 per 100,000 patient-days in 2011 to 6.1 per 100,000 patient-days in 2021, and the percentage of imipenem-resistant <em>K. pneumoniae</em> strains increased from 4.3% in 2011 to 48.5% in 2022. The incidence rate of BSI due to imipenem-resistant <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> showed an increasing trend from 2011 to 2021.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The incidence rate of BSI due to MRSA in ICUs decreased, whereas the incidence rates of BSIs caused by imipenem-resistant <em>K. pneumoniae</em> and imipenem-resistant <em>P. aeruginosa</em> in ICUs showed an increasing trend. Over the past decades, there has been a significant shift from Gram-positive bacteria to Gram-negative bacteria in BSIs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54806,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospital Infection","volume":"162 ","pages":"Pages 197-206"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144227700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Yeasticidal efficacy of far-UV-C radiation with 233 nm peak wavelength for inactivating Candida spp. with focus on the clinically relevant species C. auris for potential application on the skin.","authors":"Claudia Sicher, Nevin Opitz, Vanessa Gering, Lucas Wittenbecher, Nils-Olaf Hübner, Axel Kramer, Paula Zwicker","doi":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Candida (C.) spp. are significant pathogens for hospital acquired infections. Especially infections with C. auris have gained increased attention due to their transmissibility and resistance properties making new decolonization tools necessary. Far-UV-C radiation might be a new tool to inactivate Candida spp. independent of their resistance profile. The use of LEDs allows a flexible application of the radiation enabling e.g. the treatment of areas that are not accessible by the use of common antiseptics such as the throat or the middle ear. A blood agar spot test and a carrier test were used to quantify the efficacy of Candida spp. inactivation by skin tolerable doses of UV-C radiation (10 -60 mJ/cm²) with a peak wavelength of 233 nm. C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C, tropicalis and C. auris were used for the tests. C. parapsilosis was furthermore incubated with L-DOPA for melanin externalization. A dose of 60 mJ/cm² was able to inactivate > 3lg of all Candida spp.; in some experiments, a 4 lg reduction was achieved. C. parapsilosis with melanin and C. auris DSM 105987 were the least susceptible strains. In conclusion, far-UV-C radiation might be an additional measure for the treatment of Candida infections due to its yeasticidal effects combined with its skin tolerability.</p>","PeriodicalId":54806,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospital Infection","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144210288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical evaluation of MAP-1 antimicrobial coating on patient privacy curtains: insights from a randomized trial in a Hong Kong hospital","authors":"A. Farid ,&nbsp;W. Han ,&nbsp;C.K.C. Lai ,&nbsp;J.K.C. Kwan ,&nbsp;K.L. Yeung","doi":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Micro-organisms, including multi-drug-resistant organisms, can persist on hospital surfaces, posing significant health risks. Patient privacy curtains (PPCs) are particularly vulnerable due to their porous nature, serving as potential reservoirs for pathogens.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>This study evaluated the effectiveness of a multi-level antimicrobial polymer (MAP-1) coating on PPCs in reducing microbial loads, including meticillin-resistant <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (MRSA). The objective was to determine its potential in lowering bacterial contamination and mitigating hospital-acquired infections.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-over, randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted in male and female cubicles of a Hong Kong rehabilitation ward. A total of 1824 samples compared mean microbial load on MAP-1-coated PPCs with standard laundered PPCs on 76 patient bed curtains (patients aged 18–99 years with stays &gt;48 h). The primary outcome measure was the percentage reduction in bacterial counts on treated versus untreated PPCs across three four-week phases, with secondary outcomes on staff feedback.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>MAP-1-coated PPCs showed a 96.8% reduction in total viable bacteria (<em>P</em>&lt;0.00001; 95% CI, 94.8–98.2%) and 99.3% in MRSA (<em>P</em>&lt;0.00001; 95% CI, 97.4–99.5%) compared with uncoated PPCs. Effectiveness was maintained over all four-week periods, consistently reducing bacteria and MRSA by over 95%. Staff feedback indicated strong acceptance of the technology for routine use.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The MAP-1 coating demonstrated high efficacy in reducing pathogen presence on PPCs, with sustained effectiveness suggesting its potential for long-term application in hospital settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54806,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospital Infection","volume":"162 ","pages":"Pages 223-231"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144210285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of reminders from Sanibit™ electronic hand hygiene system and incentives on hand hygiene compliance: a prospective, four-phased, observational study","authors":"E.C. Huang ,&nbsp;Q. Xu ,&nbsp;Y. Liu ,&nbsp;P. Liu ,&nbsp;M. Kong ,&nbsp;J. Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Individualized reminders and incentives from automated hand hygiene monitoring systems (AHHMSs) might contribute to significant hand hygiene improvement.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To comprehensively evaluate the implementation of the Sanibit™ AHHMS system in the intensive care unit and the impact of these interventions on hand hygiene compliance in a four-phased, prospective trial at a tertiary care hospital.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The Sanibit monitoring system was installed in a 10-bed neurological intensive care unit. Phase 1: no reminder, cash incentive. Phase 2a: lights only, cash incentive. Phase 2b: lights + vibrations, cash incentive. Phase 3: no reminder, point system incentive. Phase 4: lights + vibrations, point system incentive.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The accuracy rate detected by the Sanibit, compared with direct observations, was 85.1%. Phase 2a with lights only and cash incentives achieved the most hand hygiene opportunities in the middle of the week. Phase 4 with lights and vibrations reminders and point system incentives achieved the best in terms of total, full, and partial hand hygiene compliance, while phase 2a with lights only and cash incentives had the highest hand hygiene opportunities. Hand hygiene compliance rates of going-out room events were significantly lower than those of going-in room events for quick in-and-out room, while the opposite held true for long in-and-out room events.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Hand hygiene opportunities, compliance, and patient contact times varied significantly among different reminders/incentives, individual healthcare workers, day of the week and time of the day. Lights and vibration reminders and point system incentives achieved the best hand hygiene compliance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54806,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospital Infection","volume":"162 ","pages":"Pages 241-252"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144210286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring infection risk factors and multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in burn intensive care units: a multi-centre case–control study","authors":"S. Nasser ,&nbsp;Z. Alnasser ,&nbsp;O. Aljuhani ,&nbsp;A. Alharbi ,&nbsp;J. Rice ,&nbsp;A.F. Alharthi ,&nbsp;R. Kensara ,&nbsp;F.E. Al Mutairi ,&nbsp;D. Zaabee ,&nbsp;S.A. Alowais ,&nbsp;N. Damfu ,&nbsp;S. Alsohimi ,&nbsp;A.A. Alshehri ,&nbsp;S. Alotaibi ,&nbsp;M. Bin Abdulqader ,&nbsp;S. Almarhoun ,&nbsp;N. Waggas ,&nbsp;M. Alajmi ,&nbsp;N. Alrashidi ,&nbsp;M. Alharbi ,&nbsp;K.A. Al Sulaiman","doi":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.010","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Despite the widespread incidence of multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDROs) within burn centres, there is a lack of research investigating the risk of infection with MDROs in critically ill burn patients. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with the acquisition of MDROs among critically ill burn patients admitted to burn intensive care units (BICUs), and to determine the prevalence of MDROs in this population.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This multi-centre observational case–control study included adult patients (age ≥18 years) admitted to BICUs between January 2015 and December 2022. Patients were excluded if the burn injury affected &lt;10% of the body surface area, they died within 24 h of ICU admission, the timing of the burn injury was unknown, and they had a history of MDRO infection within 1 year prior to admission or antibiotic use 3 months prior to admission. Risk factors for acquiring MDROs, prevalence of MDROs, ICU length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, 30-day mortality and in-hospital mortality rates were identified as the study outcomes. An exact matching approach with a 1:1 ratio was used to match the two groups based on age, gender and admission year. Stepwise forward selection logistic and linear regression analyses were used when appropriate.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;In total, 173 patients were included, of which 168 patients were matched: 84 patients in the case group (MDRO group) and 84 patients in the control group (non-MDRO group). Patients in the MDRO group had lower Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) baseline scores [unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.827–0.944], higher baseline Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores (unadjusted OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.069–1.329), higher APACHE II scores (unadjusted OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.054–1.161), invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) status at admission (unadjusted OR 3.76, 95% CI 1.96–7.20), and a greater proportion of total body surface area (TBSA) affected (unadjusted OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.024–1.058]) compared with the non-MDRO group. However, regression analysis showed that those with lower baseline GCS scores [adjusted OR (aOR) 0.904, 95% CI 0.828–0.987], a greater proportion of TBSA affected (aOR 1.023, 95% CI 1.002–1.045), and urinary tract infections (aOR 7.198, 95% CI 1.973–26.259) were significantly more prone to MDRO infections. The most common isolated pathogen in the MDRO group was &lt;em&gt;Acinetobacter baumannii&lt;/em&gt; (57%), and the most common infection was pneumonia (52.4%). The duration of MV and ICU LOS were significantly longer in the MDRO group compared with the non-MDRO group. No significant differences in the other outcomes were observed between the groups.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study showed a significantly increased risk of MDRO infection in patients who had burns affecting a greater proportion of TBSA, lower GCS scores, and higher SOFA and APACHE II scores. Future st","PeriodicalId":54806,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospital Infection","volume":"162 ","pages":"Pages 186-196"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144210287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel glove box design decreases glove box surface contamination and glove waste","authors":"T.R. Rose,&nbsp;N. Shah,&nbsp;F. Juarez,&nbsp;V. Filip-Bermudez,&nbsp;G.J. Gomez","doi":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Non-sterile, disposable medical gloves are essential for reducing the risk of cross-contamination in healthcare settings. However, glove boxes and unused gloves can become contaminated during the act of glove withdrawal, potentially increasing the risk of pathogen transmission.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To compare glove box surface contamination and glove loss between a novel glove box, designed to better facilitate glove withdrawal, and a standard glove box.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In a non-blinded, non-randomized study at Medline Industries LP, 30 adult participants wore finger paint-coated gloves and withdrew gloves from both glove boxes, with two participants assigned to each box. Participants stopped after 125 glove pull attempts or as soon as all gloves had been removed from the box. Finger paint was reapplied as needed, or after every 25 glove pull attempts. Surface contamination was assessed by finger paint coverage on the box surfaces (inside, outside, total). Glove loss was measured by subtracting the total number of glove pull attempts from the total number of gloves in each box. Statistical analyses included paired Student's <em>t</em>-tests and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, with results significant at <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The novel glove box had significantly less contamination on the inside (<em>P</em> = 0.0006) and total (<em>P</em> = 0.0328) box surfaces, and fewer gloves lost (<em>P</em> = 0.0009) compared to the standard glove box. No significant difference was found with respect to outside surface contamination.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This novel glove box design may help reduce glove waste and box surface contamination, potentially lowering the risk of pathogen transmission in healthcare settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54806,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospital Infection","volume":"162 ","pages":"Pages 207-211"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144183108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness of heating hospital sink drainpipes for reducing bacterial colonization","authors":"S. Kakiuchi ,&nbsp;T. Tanaka ,&nbsp;J. Kawaguchi ,&nbsp;Y. Honda ,&nbsp;Y. Harada ,&nbsp;A. Fujita ,&nbsp;M. Tashiro ,&nbsp;T. Kusaba ,&nbsp;K. Izumikawa","doi":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jhin.2025.05.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Hospital sink drains act as reservoirs for nosocomial infection-causing bacteria. Drainpipe thermal disinfection units (DTDUs) inhibit or reduce bacterial colonization by elevating drainpipe temperature. However, their effectiveness remains to be comprehensively evaluated.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>This study investigated the effectiveness of a DTDU, in addition to routine cleaning and disinfection, in preventing bacterial colonization of new metal drainpipes in a clinical setting.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This non-blinded parallel group comparative study was conducted in the intensive care unit of Nagasaki University Hospital, Japan. DTDUs were installed in three and five new sink drains for cleaning oral care (OC) devices and staff handwashing (HW), respectively. Two new sink drains without DTDUs for OC and HW were used as controls. Sinks were used as usual, with daily cleaning with ethanol-wipes and weekly flushing of a drain cleaner containing sodium hypochlorite. Additionally, OC drainpipes were disinfected using foam-type sodium hypochlorite. Samples were collected from insides of drainpipes biweekly for bacterial identification, semi-quantitative culturing, and antibiotic susceptibility test. The effect of the DTDUs on drainpipe bioburden was assessed using Fisher's exact test.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Each sink was sampled 14 times. Bioburden was significantly lower in DTDU-equipped drainpipes than in controls for both OC devices and HW (both <em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> was the most frequently isolated bacterium (46.3%); however, it was not detected in DTDU-equipped OC drainpipes. Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales were detected in control HW drainpipes but not in DTDU-equipped HW drainpipes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Thermal disinfection of drainpipes may suppress bacterial colonization, including strains resistant to regular cleaning and disinfection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54806,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospital Infection","volume":"163 ","pages":"Pages 10-22"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144182746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}