Bioaerosols generated from toilet flushing in rooms of patients with Clostridioides difficile infection.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol
; 41(5): 517-521, 2020 05.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32000872
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is the most frequently reported hospital-acquired infection in the United States. Bioaerosols generated during toilet flushing are a possible mechanism for the spread of this pathogen in clinical settings.OBJECTIVE:
To measure the bioaerosol concentration from toilets of patients with CDI before and after flushing.DESIGN:
In this pilot study, bioaerosols were collected 0.15 m, 0.5 m, and 1.0 m from the rims of the toilets in the bathrooms of hospitalized patients with CDI. Inhibitory, selective media were used to detect C. difficile and other facultative anaerobes. Room air was collected continuously for 20 minutes with a bioaerosol sampler before and after toilet flushing. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to assess the difference in bioaerosol production before and after flushing.SETTING:
Rooms of patients with CDI at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.RESULTS:
Bacteria were positively cultured from 8 of 24 rooms (33%). In total, 72 preflush and 72 postflush samples were collected; 9 of the preflush samples (13%) and 19 of the postflush samples (26%) were culture positive for healthcare-associated bacteria. The predominant species cultured were Enterococcus faecalis, E. faecium, and C. difficile. Compared to the preflush samples, the postflush samples showed significant increases in the concentrations of the 2 large particle-size categories 5.0 µm (P = .0095) and 10.0 µm (P = .0082).CONCLUSIONS:
Bioaerosols produced by toilet flushing potentially contribute to hospital environmental contamination. Prevention measures (eg, toilet lids) should be evaluated as interventions to prevent toilet-associated environmental contamination in clinical settings.
Texto completo:
1
Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Aparatos Sanitarios
/
Clostridioides difficile
/
Microbiología del Aire
Límite:
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol
Asunto de la revista:
DOENCAS TRANSMISSIVEIS
/
ENFERMAGEM
/
EPIDEMIOLOGIA
/
HOSPITAIS
Año:
2020
Tipo del documento:
Article