Equal Efficacy of Glucoprotamin and an Aldehyde Product for Environmental Disinfection in a Hematologic Transplant Unit: A Prospective Crossover Trial

Abstract

Background.The inanimate hospital environment has emerged as an important reservoir of nosocomial pathogens. In particular, multidrug-resistant pathogens, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter species, and Clostridium difficile, play a major role in the transmission of hospital-acquired infections. In Europe, aldehydes, chlorine, and quaternary ammonium compounds have been commonly used for environmental disinfection. Glucoprotamin, a newer active compound for disinfectants, has been clinically tested for disinfection of instruments but not for environmental disinfection.Objective.This study evaluated the antimicrobial effectiveness of a glucoprotamin-containing product (Incidin) compared with that of an aldehyde-containing product (Deconex), the current standard at our institution.Methods.This prospective crossover study was conducted in our access-restricted hematologic transplant unit. A total of 3,086 samples from the environment were processed and examined for overall bacterial burden as well as selectively for S. aureus, C. difficile, and gram-negative bacteria.Results.There was no significant difference in residual bacteria after disinfection between the 2 products in terms of overall burden and selected pathogens. Enterococci were the predominant pathogens recovered from surfaces, but no vancomycin-resistant enterococci were recovered. Similarly, C. difficile could not be found in the patients' environment, even in rooms, despite the use of selective media.Conclusion.The aldehyde-containing product (Deconex) and the glucoprotamin-containing product (Incidin) demonstrated similar efficacy against environmental contamination in a hematologic transplant unit with the application of selective media for C. difficile, S. aureus, and gram-negative bacteria in addition to standard medium.

Recommendations for the successful control of a large outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a non-endemic hospital setting

“…Therefore, from July 2012, hydrogen peroxide vapour (Alpheios, Heerlen, The Netherlands) was used for room disinfection on wards with VRE transmission. A glucoprotamine foam, which cleans and disinfects simultaneously, was introduced for cleaning [12].…”

Long-term antimicrobial effectiveness of a silver-impregnated foil on high-touch hospital surfaces in patient rooms

“…Another approach is repetitive daily cleaning and disinfection of critical surfaces, but this is very costly, and can impede patient care. In addition, recolonization of the surfaces occurs within hours after cleaning [ 15 , 16 ]. Even terminal cleaning after patient discharge cannot always kill pathogens left on surfaces by prior room occupants [ 17 ].…”

Specialized cleaning associated with antimicrobial coatings for reduction of hospital-acquired infection: opinion of the COST Action Network AMiCI (CA15114)

“…Hand hygiene is widely regarded as the most effective preventative measure for healthcare workers [1] when complementing effective hospital hygiene practices that ensure proper cleaning and appropriate use of disinfectants and antimicrobials. However, the recognized issue with poor hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers [2], and reports of recontamination of previously chemically disinfected clinical surfaces through hand contact [3], emphasize a need for novel hygiene methods in addition to those currently available. One such approach involves antimicrobial (nano) coatings (AMCs) [4], in which integrated active ingredients are responsible for the elimination of micro-organisms that come into contact with treated surfaces.…”

“…TiO 2 or photosensitizers). These coatings have been widely studied under laboratory conditions with promising results [3,5,6], bolstered by reports describing successful delay and/or prevention of recontamination following conventional cleaning and disinfection by problematic microbes such as meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, amongst others [5]. However, efficacy studies performed under real-life conditions in healthcare settings are relatively scarce.…”