A ‘bundle’ of infection control measures using the latest Bioquell hydrogen peroxide vapour (HPV) disinfection technology has significantly reduced the incidence of nosocomial MRSA and Acinetobacter baumannii in one of Europe’s leading burns units.
The results of actions taken at the Saint-Antoine Hospital in Paris by Dr Frederic Barbut and his team have recently been published online by the Burns Journal (www.tinyurl.com/9qphj9x), and, Bioquell says, ‘demonstrate the effectiveness of regular HPV disinfection of rooms following discharge of patients known to be affected by multidrugresistant bacteria’. One of Paris’s two ‘major reference burns centres’, The Saint-Antoine Hospital burns unit had ‘an ongoing problem with Acinetobacter infections’ when it experienced a major MRSA outbreak in 2007, leading to its closure in July 2008. The entire unit was then decontaminated using Bioquell’s HPV technology, and an infection control ‘bundle’ (ICB) was implemented when the unit reopened in September 2008. The ICB combined regular HPV disinfection of rooms following discharge of patients colonised or infected by multidrug-resistant organisms, pre-emptive cohort isolation of newly admitted patients before they were proven to be ‘culture-negative’, ‘and cohorting of colonised or infected patients. Two air disinfection systems were also installed in corridors, and improvements made to material storage. Bioquell said: “HPV disinfection was shown to be effective at significantly reducing environmental contamination (bacterial and fungal) from surfaces and the air within the unit, and eliminating pathogens from the environment. The ICB stopped the MRSA outbreak, and resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence of nosocomial MRSA (89.3%) and A. baumannii (88.8%). It also prevented further outbreaks of these organisms.” James Salkeld, head of healthcare at Bioquell, said: “Interestingly, results showed that surfaces were still contaminated with Acinetobacter, E. coli, and S. aureus (including MRSA), after standard terminal cleaning, and before HPV treatment. Aspergillus was also isolated from the air before HPV was used. “HPV disinfection eliminated pathogens from the environment, and significantly reduced total bacterial surface and fungal air and surface counts, on both a room and unit scale. In fact, no pathogens were isolated from surfaces or air samples after our HPV decontamination.” Bioquell specialises in the design, manufacture, and application, of complete bio-decontamination solutions for airborne and surface contamination in the healthcare, life sciences, food production, and defence sectors.
