K Cole1, J E Talmadge2. 1. Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA. 2. Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA. Electronic address: jtalmadg@unmc.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant cause of increased medical costs, morbidity, mortality, and have been partly associated with sinks, their waste water outlets and associated pipework. AIM: To determine whether an engineered sink could limit microbial aerosol contaminants in the air and sink basin. METHODS: Multiple comparisons were undertaken between an experimental sink, designed to limit aerosolization and p-trap contamination to a control hospital sink, both connected to a common drain system. The experimental sink was equipped with ultraviolet light (UV), an aerosol containment hood, ozonated water generator and a flush system to limit bacterial growth/aerosolization and limit microbial growth in the p-trap. Nutrient material was added daily to simulate typical material discarded into a hospital sink. Surface collection swabs, settle plates and p-trap contamination levels were assessed for bacteria and fungi. FINDINGS: The experimental sink had significantly decreased levels of bacterial and fungal p-trap contamination (99.9% for Tryptic Soy (TSA) and Sabouraud agar (SAB) plates) relative to the initial levels. Aerosol-induced contaminant from the p-traps was significantly lower for the experimental vs the control sink for TSA (76%) and SAB (86%) agar settle plates. CONCLUSIONS: Limiting microbial contamination is critical for the control of nosocomial infections of in-room sinks, which provide a major source of contamination. Our experimental sink studies document that regular ozonated water rinsing of the sink surface, decontamination of p-trap water, and UV decontamination of surfaces limits microbial aerosolization and surface contamination, with potential to decrease patient exposure and reduce hospital acquired infections.
BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant cause of increased medical costs, morbidity, mortality, and have been partly associated with sinks, their waste water outlets and associated pipework. AIM: To determine whether an engineered sink could limit microbial aerosol contaminants in the air and sink basin. METHODS: Multiple comparisons were undertaken between an experimental sink, designed to limit aerosolization and p-trap contamination to a control hospital sink, both connected to a common drain system. The experimental sink was equipped with ultraviolet light (UV), an aerosol containment hood, ozonated water generator and a flush system to limit bacterial growth/aerosolization and limit microbial growth in the p-trap. Nutrient material was added daily to simulate typical material discarded into a hospital sink. Surface collection swabs, settle plates and p-trap contamination levels were assessed for bacteria and fungi. FINDINGS: The experimental sink had significantly decreased levels of bacterial and fungal p-trap contamination (99.9% for Tryptic Soy (TSA) and Sabouraud agar (SAB) plates) relative to the initial levels. Aerosol-induced contaminant from the p-traps was significantly lower for the experimental vs the control sink for TSA (76%) and SAB (86%) agar settle plates. CONCLUSIONS: Limiting microbial contamination is critical for the control of nosocomial infections of in-room sinks, which provide a major source of contamination. Our experimental sink studies document that regular ozonated water rinsing of the sink surface, decontamination of p-trap water, and UV decontamination of surfaces limits microbial aerosolization and surface contamination, with potential to decrease patient exposure and reduce hospital acquired infections.
Authors: W C van der Zwet; I E J Nijsen; C Jamin; L B van Alphen; C J H von Wintersdorff; A M P Demandt; P H M Savelkoul Journal: Infect Prev Pract Date: 2022-02-25