1. What Healthcare Workers Should Know about Environmental Bacterial Contamination in the Intensive Care Unit
- Author
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Tma Fasciana, Andrea Cortegiani, Cesare Gregoretti, Santi Maurizio Raineri, Antonino Giarratano, Pasquale Iozzo, Russotto, Anna Giammanco, Russotto, V., Cortegiani, A., Fasciana, T., Iozzo, P., Raineri, S., Gregoretti, C., Giammanco, A., Giarratano, A., Russotto, V, Cortegiani, A, Fasciana, T, Iozzo, P, Raineri, S, Gregoretti, C, Giammanco, A, and Giarratano, A
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0301 basic medicine ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Health Personnel ,030106 microbiology ,lcsh:Medicine ,Review Article ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,law.invention ,03 medical and health sciences ,law ,Long period ,Health care ,medicine ,Humans ,Infection control ,Terminal cleaning ,MED/41 - ANESTESIOLOGIA ,Intensive care medicine ,Decontamination ,Cross Infection ,Infection Control ,Healthcare, Environmental, Bacterial, Contamination, Intensive Care Unit ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,business.industry ,lcsh:R ,General Medicine ,Contamination ,Intensive care unit ,Intensive Care Units ,Increased risk ,Equipment Contamination ,Environmental Pollution ,business ,Human - Abstract
Intensive care unit- (ICU-) acquired infections are a major health problem worldwide. Inanimate surfaces and equipment contamination may play a role in cross-transmission of pathogens and subsequent patient colonization or infection. Bacteria contaminate inanimate surfaces and equipment of the patient zone and healthcare area, generating a reservoir of potential pathogens, including multidrug resistant species. Traditional terminal cleaning methods have limitations. Indeed patients who receive a bed from prior patient carrying bacteria are exposed to an increased risk (odds ratio 2.13, 95% confidence intervals 1.62–2.81) of being colonized and potentially infected by the same bacterial species of the previous patient. Biofilm formation, even on dry surfaces, may play a role in reducing the efficacy of terminal cleaning procedures since it enables bacteria to survive in the environment for a long period and provides increased resistance to commonly used disinfectants. No-touch methods (e.g., UV-light, hydrogen peroxide vapour) are under investigation and further studies with patient-centred outcomes are needed, before considering them the standard of terminal cleaning in ICUs. Healthcare workers should be aware of the role of environmental contamination in the ICU and consider it in the broader perspective of infection control measures and stewardship initiatives.
- Published
- 2017
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