disinfection

Better understanding disinfection

Jimmy Tremblay

Introduction

Disinfection is the process by which microorganisms such as bacteria are eliminated or reduced. The objective of disinfection is to prevent the spread of infectious diseases by reducing the number of microorganisms present. Disinfection can be achieved in various ways, including the use of disinfectant chemicals such as alcohol-based disinfectants, quaternary ammonium compounds, sodium hypochlorite (bleach), or hydrogen peroxide.

Effective Planning and Disinfection Management

This would be the planning. We need to develop a detailed plan for management and disinfection. It is important to identify high-risk areas, determine the necessary equipment, outline the procedures to be followed, and define the responsibilities of the individuals involved in the disinfection process.

  • This is training. It involves ensuring that the personnel responsible for management and disinfection are trained in good hygiene and disinfection practices. They should be familiar with the procedures, the cleaning/disinfection products to be used, and the safety precautions to be taken.
  • This is personal hygiene. We should encourage and maintain good personal hygiene practices among the staff. This includes habits such as regular handwashing with soap, the use of hand sanitizers, and wearing appropriate protective clothing.
  • This is regular cleaning. It entails establishing a regular cleaning schedule for all surfaces and high-risk areas.
  • This is proper disinfection. It involves using appropriate disinfectants to kill germs and reduce the risk of infection.
  • This is ventilation. We should ensure good ventilation in indoor spaces to facilitate the circulation of fresh air.
  • This is waste management. We need to implement an appropriate system for waste management, ensuring the safe and hygienic disposal of potentially contaminated materials.
  • This is monitoring and evaluation. It entails establishing regular monitoring and evaluation procedures to assess the effectiveness of the management and disinfection measures. Adjustments should be made if necessary.
  • This is raising awareness among staff and relevant individuals about hygiene practices.
  • This is compliance with regulations. We must ensure that regulations regarding hygiene are adhered to and that standards are upheld. Therefore, it is important to stay informed about updates and recommendations from health authorities.
The uses/benefits of disinfectant

Eliminates germs and bacteria, ensuring a clean and hygienic environment for everyone.

Surface Disinfection: This category involves the disinfection of surfaces such as countertops, doorknobs, switches, phones, keyboards, faucets, etc. There are specifically formulated disinfectant products to eliminate germs and bacteria on surfaces. These products can be disinfecting wipes, sprays, or disinfectant solutions to be used with a clean cloth.

Hand Disinfection: This refers to the disinfection of hands to eliminate germs and bacteria that may be present. The use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers is common in this category. Hand sanitizers are usually available as gels or liquid solutions. It is recommended to rub the hands with the sanitizer for at least 20 seconds until it dries.

Medical Instrument Disinfection: This category primarily concerns healthcare facilities and medical professionals. It involves the disinfection of medical instruments such as scalpels, syringes, injection devices, probes, etc. In this case, more complex disinfection procedures may be required, such as the use of autoclaves, dry heat sterilizers, or specific chemical agents.

To conclude, disinfection is essential to ensure good hygiene in the workplace, and it requires precise steps to be properly carried out.

links:https://www.lalema.com/

Let’s talk about disinfection (once more)

Gaétan Lanthier

How to safely perform cleaning and disinfection a surface soiled with bodily fluid and dispose of waste properly?

Here is some of the content from my exclusive training on Infection Prevention and Control in the Presence of Body Fluids. This training (in French with English documentation), presented in the form of short video clips (nearly forty), lasts approximately 2 hours and covers several exclusive and relevant content for hygiene and sanitation workers.

Disinfection

OVERVIEW OF THE CONTENT OF A TRAINING ON DISINFECTION TECHNIQUES

  • The main microbes to which sanitary maintenance workers can be exposed, the associated risks and the means of transmission
  • Basic concepts in sanitary maintenance for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces
  • The different body fluids (body fluids) and the associated risk factors
  • Products and accessories for cleaning and disinfection
  • Personal protective equipment
  • Cleaning and disinfection techniques including hand washing.

THE MAIN MICROBES TO WHICH HEALTH MAINTENANCE WORKERS MAY BE EXPOSED, THE ASSOCIATED RISKS AND THE MEANS OF TRANSMISSION

  • Microbes
  • Viruses or bacteria
  • Reproduction of bacteria
  • Survival of bacteria on surfaces
  • Infectious risk
  • Transmission of infections
  • Virus or bacteria

BASIC CONCEPTS IN SANITARY MAINTENANCE FOR THE CLEANING AND DISINFECTIONS OF SURFACES

  • Basics
  • Sinner’s Circle
  • Wetting power
  • Micelles
  • Foaming power
  • PH scale
  • Eradication of microbes
  • Contact time
  • DIN
  • Types of disinfectants
  • Why dilute a product
  • Always read the manual
  • 7 ways to make maintenance safer

THE DIFFERENT BODY FLUIDS (BIOLOGICAL LIQUIDS) AND THE ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS

  • Body fluids and associated risks
  • Body fluids (body fluids)
  • Risk factors

PRODUCTS AND ACCESSORIES FOR CLEANING AND DISINFECTION

  1. Produits et accessoires
  2. Trousse de matériel

LES ÉQUIPEMENTS DE PROTECTION INDIVIDUELLE

  • Personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Hand hygiene
  • Dressing procedure
  • Undressing procedure
  • Practical advice
  • Wearing the mask

CLEANING AND DISINFECTION TECHNIQUES

  • Cleaning and disinfection steps
  • Steps to follow
  • Cleaning and disinfection procedure
  • Waste management
  • What is biomedical waste

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

A training cannot be complete without a formal evaluation! This is why we offer each participant a quiz of 10 questions before issuing a superb attestation!

So, are you going to try?

How to properly clean reusable protective equipment

Gaétan Lanthier
Clean medical inhaler
Photo by Mockup Graphics on Unsplash

When we talk about disinfection, we talk about the prevention and control of infection in the environment. Therefore, equipment used for respiratory therapy is considered semi-critical. The equipment must then be cleaned and disinfected properly between patients. The WHO gives us the proper maintenance of respiratory equipment in procedures to follow. The procedures are checklists in steps of a cycle. Let’s explore all the summarized steps up to the cycle finish. And yes, the cleaning step is before the disinfection step!

Checklists for care, cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of respiratory devices

1. Perform hand hygiene

The title and image say it all

2. Don appropriate personal protective equipment

The personal protective equipment to be worn during the disinfectant preparation includes surgical mask/respirator, googles/face shield, long-sleeved fluid resistant gown/gown plus apron, rubber gloves and boots or closed work shoes.

3. Wash with detergent and rinse with clean water

The external device surfaces must be wiped with a damp cloth or disposable wipe that is soaked in detergent and clean water. Then, remaining detergent residue must be wiped off with a dry lint-free cloth. A mechanical action (scrubbing/brushing) should be used to remove visible dirt deposits and calcifications.

4. Disinfect

4a. Physical disinfection – Heat for heat resistant equipement (steam/hot-water)

A high-level of physical disinfection can be achieved with steam (e.g. autoclaving at lower temperature) or hot-water at least 121°C. This is an inexpensive and effective method for sterilization or high-level disinfection.

4b. Chemical disinfection for plastic plus other parts that can be damaged by heat

b) If the disinfection needs to be with chemicals solutions, it should be performed in a well-ventilated area and away from patients. Use a disposable wipe or a fresh cloth that is soaked in a compatible disinfectant. Hydrogen peroxide 0.5% or ethanol 70-90%. Wipe from top to bottom and avoid contact with electrical connectors.

5. Dry equipment / Rinse equipment

a) Physical equipment often has a drying feature within the machine (e.g. washer, pasteurizer or autoclave). Following pasteurization, the wet equipment is typically dried in a hot-air drying cabinet or air-dried. Make sure to carefully inspect and ensure that no water is left in the equipment.

b) If a chemical solution was used for disinfection, rinse the equipment with sterile or clean water (i.e. water boiled for 5 mins and cooled down). It is preferred to use sterile water for rinsing off residual liquid chemical disinfectant from the respiratory device.

6. Store equipment in closed packages

Last step. Title says it all.

This was a summary of the Care, cleaning and disinfection of respiratory equipment in sterile services department’s article by World Health Organization.

This article is a free translation of WHO’s article.

Source:
World Health Organization
– https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/care-cleaning-and-disinfection-of-respiratory-equipment-in-sterile-services-department
– https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/care-cleaning-disinfection-of-respiratory-equipment.tmb-479v.png?sfvrsn=14530f0b_1

What’s best? To clean or to disinfect?

Gaétan Lanthier

When it comes to cleanliness, some people are mixing technical terms leading to ambiguity. It is like mixing chemicals together: That is not a good idea! To keep it simple, we’ll just give a real definition.

Deteriorated surfaces definition

A deteriorated surface shows wear off sign often caused by time or misuse.

Deterioration is one of three elements of impairment of property, the others being functional obsolescence (or obsolescence) and economic obsolescence.

surfaces-vetustes definition

Safe surfaces definition

Safe surface means that it is safe to health. Such surface is healthy or good for health often because of risk management. In the food industry, this is why we often refer to it as food safety.
Safe is also synonymous to hygienic !

corridor-hopital-lalema definition

Disinfected surfaces definition

Disinfection is a voluntary momentary removal operation of certain bacteria (if it comes to “all germs” we refer more to sterilization), so as to stop or prevent infection or the risk of infection or superinfection by pathogenic or undesirable microorganisms or viruses.

For example:

  • To sanitize a surface eliminates 99.9% of microorganisms (This is a 1,000 X reduction)
  • To disinfect a surface removes 99.999% of microorganisms (This is a 100,000 X reduction)
  • To sterilize a surface or instrument removes 99.9999% of microorganisms (This is a 1,000,000 X reduction)

Obviously, “momentarily” is a key fator because the surface will be contaminated again as soon a a contaminant will enter in contact with the it. That’s why some disinfectants have a residual effect that prolongs the action of disinfectant for a certain time.

biofilm-1024x767 definition

To learn more

Visit l’Academy Lalema for a whole lot of online training in sanitation and surface disenfection..

Sources: Larousse, Wikipedia, Linternaute

Disposable Microfiber, The First Step In The Disinfection Process

Rémi Siv
Disposable microfiber cloth system

In the past, we have often lauded the advantage of microfiber for cleaning. This is repeated today, but with the use of a disposable microfiber as the first step in the disinfection process. Of course, we are talking about cleaning first, then disinfecting. However, the products highlighted in this article are compatible with common disinfectants. These products are Rubbermaid‘s Hygen single-use microfiber swabs and wipes.

WHAT IS A MICROFIBER AGAIN?

Microfiber is a synthetic textile fiber (polyester, polyamide or a mixture) that is very fine and light with a denomination which is less than one decitex. A microfiber (filament) is characterised by its small diameter, the nature of its fiber and its structure. Therefore, not all microfibers are the same or of the same quality. This revolutionary material has quickly become a must in the hygiene, health and automotive sectors. To know more about it, read this article, Spotlight on microfiber!

THE HYGEN LINE FROM RUBBERMAID

The Hygen line was designed specifically for the healthcare industry. It is an excellent option for any facility looking to improve its cleaning efficiency, especially during the COVID-19 period. The HYGEN disposable microfiber pad and wipe contribute to the area cleaning as the first step in the disinfection process.

Microfiber pads and wipes

Disposable Microfiber Pads HYGEN
  • They eliminate 99.7% or more of the viruses and bacteria tested to help improve cleaning efficiency. And this was tested with water only
  • Help reduce cross-contamination with disposable pads/wipes that encourage cleaning with new pads/wipes for each area or task
Disposable Microfiber Wipes HYGEN
  • They are compatible with common disinfectants, including Quat (does not bind), bleach and hydrogen peroxide
  • Built-in scrub strips are made of polyester to help effectively remove dirt

DEMONSTRATION OF THE DISPOSABLE MICROFIBER

Here’s a video from Rubbermaid Commercial Products. They demonstrated the benefit of their Hygen disposable microfiber wipe compared to a paper towel and a disinfectant wipe. They use a fluorescent marker to demonstrate and verify cleaning practices.

Thus, using this disposable microfiber with a disinfectant provides an added layer of assurance. They will clean and disinfect well your floors and surfaces by combining the microbe removal power of the microfiber with the disinfectant’s killing power.

Electrostatic disinfection

Rémi Siv
Siozen electrostatic sprayer

Since the beginning of the pandemic, demands for electrostatic sprayers have exploded as an efficient way to disinfect key touch points and ensure environmental safety. While effective on a wide range of surfaces, it is important for cleaning teams to understand how it works, the cost considerations and the best facilities for using it. Therfore, this is a free translation of Cleanlink‘s article, What to know about electrostatic spraying.

What’s electrostatic disinfection

Electrostatic spraying or disinfection is the process of spraying an electrostatically charged mist onto surfaces and objects.

The electrostatic sprayer is electrically charged, allowing the specialized solution and disinfectants to envelop and evenly coat all types of surfaces. Designed to kill germs, bacteria and various types of viruses. It is a safe, fast, effective and non-contact application to limit the risk of cross-contamination.

How does it work?

Siozen - how it works

Electrostatic sprayers use positively charged atomized particles to electromagnetically adhere disinfectant chemicals to negative target surfaces.

They use an electrode inside the sprayer to atomize the cleaning solution. The particles emerge from the nozzle as a spray that clings to any contact points it can find.

For example, no matter what angle it is used for surfaces disinfection, the droplets created by the electrostatic sprayer cause the disinfectant to cling to areas such as chairs, under tables or desks.

Although it is easy to apply, well-trained personnel is essential to ensure that the application process is optimal and safe for the staff.

What are the costs?

The cost generally depends on the type of facility as well as the size of the area to be treated.

In the long-term, electrostatic disinfection protects businesses from costly financial issues associated with contagious healthcare infections. It also reduces the costs associated with providing effective disinfectant solutions.

Is it effective against COVID-19

This depends since the electrostatic sprayer does not, in itself, kill COVID-19 or the coronavirus. The disinfectant to be used in conjunction with this technology must be on the list of disinfectants with evidence for use against COVID-19 by Health Canada. Lalema‘s Myosan TB is one of them.

What types of properties are best suited for electrostatic disinfection?

This process is perfect for a variety of property types, including office buildings, healthcare facilities, shopping centers, industrial parks, condominiums, educational facilities, and government and hospitality projects. It also reaches a vast number of areas that highly covered by bacteria, otherwise difficult to access with standard cleaning methods by applying a uniform, solid coating to all surfaces.

Electrostatic disinfection is widely used in healthcare facilities as a safe and effective process in viral infection control programs, providing non-contact cleaning, thereby limiting the spread of bacteria.

Take a look at our sprayers/misters!

Free translation of What to know about electrostatic spraying by Cleanlink

Sources:
– https://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/What-To-Know-About-Electrostatic-Spraying–28092
– https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/disinfectants/covid-19/list.html

Disinfection devices during the Olympics

Rémi Siv

Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter are now over. Most of you have already seen video footage of the robots that cook foods, mix drinks and serve in order to avoid contamination. But have you seen the disinfection devices the staff use to disinfect most areas and objects? It’s quite futuristic, but the future is now.

Disinfectant misters

Used by a human or a robot, the industrial misters

Ultraviolet Germicidal Light Lamp

In the footage,

Scanner with UV-Light

While disinfectant mist may damage electronic devices, they are put into a scanner with UV-light

Sterilization cabinet

As seen in the video, they have developed a sterilization cabinet to make sure that the handheld metal detector wands are germ-free.

People also wear KN95 or N95 masks to take precautions to avoid transmission of COVID-19.

The proper maintenance of respiratory equipment

Rémi Siv
Clean medical inhaler
Photo by Mockup Graphics on Unsplash

When we talk about disinfection, we talk about the prevention and control of infection in the environment. Therefore, equipment used for respiratory therapy is considered semi-critical. The equipment must then be cleaned and disinfected properly between patients. The WHO gives us the proper maintenance of respiratory equipment in procedures to follow. The procedures are checklists in steps of a cycle. Let’s explore all the summarized steps up to the cycle finish. And yes, the cleaning step is before the disinfection step!

Checklists for care, cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of respiratory devices

1. Perform hand hygiene

The title and image say it all

2. Don appropriate personal protective equipment

The personal protective equipment to be worn during the disinfectant preparation includes surgical mask/respirator, googles/face shield, long-sleeved fluid resistant gown/gown plus apron, rubber gloves and boots or closed work shoes.

3. Wash with detergent and rinse with clean water

The external device surfaces must be wiped with a damp cloth or disposable wipe that is soaked in detergent and clean water. Then, remaining detergent residue must be wiped off with a dry lint-free cloth. A mechanical action (scrubbing/brushing) should be used to remove visible dirt deposits and calcifications.

4. Disinfect

4a. Physical disinfection – Heat for heat resistant equipement (steam/hot-water)

A high-level of physical disinfection can be achieved with steam (e.g. autoclaving at lower temperature) or hot-water at least 121°C. This is an inexpensive and effective method for sterilization or high-level disinfection.

4b. Chemical disinfection for plastic plus other parts that can be damaged by heat

b) If the disinfection needs to be with chemicals solutions, it should be performed in a well-ventilated area and away from patients. Use a disposable wipe or a fresh cloth that is soaked in a compatible disinfectant. Hydrogen peroxide 0.5% or ethanol 70-90%. Wipe from top to bottom and avoid contact with electrical connectors.

5. Dry equipment / Rinse equipment

a) Physical equipment often has a drying feature within the machine (e.g. washer, pasteurizer or autoclave). Following pasteurization, the wet equipment is typically dried in a hot-air drying cabinet or air-dried. Make sure to carefully inspect and ensure that no water is left in the equipment.

b) If a chemical solution was used for disinfection, rinse the equipment with sterile or clean water (i.e. water boiled for 5 mins and cooled down). It is preferred to use sterile water for rinsing off residual liquid chemical disinfectant from the respiratory device.

6. Store equipment in closed packages

Last step. Title says it all.

This was a summary of the Care, cleaning and disinfection of respiratory equipment in sterile services department’s article by World Health Organization.

This article is a free translation of WHO’s article.

Source:
World Health Organization
– https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/care-cleaning-and-disinfection-of-respiratory-equipment-in-sterile-services-department
– https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/care-cleaning-disinfection-of-respiratory-equipment.tmb-479v.png?sfvrsn=14530f0b_1

Disinfection in 3D

Rémi Siv

Reading time: 2 mins

Building managers are learning a lot about hidden pathogens with new 3D imaging technologies now available in North America. They are learning especially a lot in healthcare, education sectors and foodservice industry.

Essentially, these systems create a map which indicates the locations and amounts of pathogens on a surface. According to a press release from the infection prevention technology company, Optisolve, what has evolved in this learning is the “3Ds” of cleaning in order to help prevent the spread of infections.

IMAGES IN 3D

The 3D images refer to the three key challenges that building managers should manage to help ensure that building users stay healthy, says Optisolve CEO Brad Evans.

According to Evans, 3Ds refer to the following:

DETECT

The first step in keeping users healthy is to locate health-threatening pathogens in the building.

DISINFECT

Once located, these surfaces must first be cleaned and then disinfected.

“As with ATP monitors, imaging technologies cannot determine what pathogens are present,” says Evans. “As a result, ‘broad range’ or ‘broad spectrum’ disinfectants that kill a variety of pathogens should always be used.”

DISCUSS

For example, if pathogens are located on one window ledge, this information must be discussed and shared with administrators and all cleaning professionals in the facility.

“Unfortunately, when imaging technologies point out a potentially contaminated surface, administrators and cleaning professionals often believe the problem is confined to that specific area” says Evans. “In many cases, however, if one specific area is contaminated, we find the same problem in similar areas throughout the facility.”

Free translation of: https://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/The-Three-Ds-Of-Infection-Control–24664

FROM 3D TO 4D -> DISCOVER

Visit www.lalema.com with our huge catalog of 35,000 hygiene and sanitation products for infection control.

To clean or to disinfect? a simple definition.

Gaétan Lanthier

When it comes to cleanliness, some people are mixing technical terms leading to ambiguity. It is like mixing chemicals together: That is not a good idea! To keep it simple, we’ll just give a real definition.

Deteriorated surfaces definition

A deteriorated surface shows wear off sign often caused by time or misuse.

Deterioration is one of three elements of impairment of property, the others being functional obsolescence (or obsolescence) and economic obsolescence.

surfaces-vetustes definition

Safe surfaces definition

Safe surface means that it is safe to health. Such surface is healthy or good for health often because of risk management. In the food industry, this is why we often refer to it as food safety.
Safe is also synonymous to hygienic !

corridor-hopital-lalema definition

Disinfected surfaces definition

Disinfection is a voluntary momentary removal operation of certain bacteria (if it comes to “all germs” we refer more to sterilization), so as to stop or prevent infection or the risk of infection or superinfection by pathogenic or undesirable microorganisms or viruses.

For example:

  • To sanitize a surface eliminates 99.9% of microorganisms (This is a 1,000 X reduction)
  • To disinfect a surface removes 99.999% of microorganisms (This is a 100,000 X reduction)
  • To sterilize a surface or instrument removes 99.9999% of microorganisms (This is a 1,000,000 X reduction)

Obviously, “momentarily” is a key fator because the surface will be contaminated again as soon a a contaminant will enter in contact with the it. That’s why some disinfectants have a residual effect that prolongs the action of disinfectant for a certain time.

biofilm-1024x767 definition

To learn more

Visit l’Academy Lalema for a whole lot of online training in sanitation and surface disenfection..

Sources: Larousse, Wikipedia, Linternaute

Cleaning in Hospitals (part 4)

Gaétan Lanthier
Work_Organization

How can proper work organization contribute to the cleanliness of a hospital? How to be in the right place with the right equipment? Here are the questions we are going to answer in this post of the Cleaning in Hospitals series.

Evaluation of production needs

First, we need to assess the needs in hygiene and cleanliness. In order to do this, a standard evaluation is preferable but it needs to be adjusted based on the type of place, units, and traffic.

It is during the evaluation of needs that the hygiene and cleanliness estimate (see Cleaning in Hospitals part 2) is going to be determined. All daily, weekly, monthly, and annual tasks have to be considered.

Usually, the results are presented by production yields (square meters/hour) or FTE (Full Time Equivalent).

How to reduce time waste

How to measure productivity in a context where an important aspect of the task is moving? Actually, hygiene and cleanliness departments are almost always in the basement, whereas most of their work happens on the floors!

We increase productivity by reducing traveling.

It is for this reason that the cleaning cart needs to be as complete as possible and the water sources or janitor’s closets well stocked with supplies (i.e.: paper products or waste bags), equipment, and sanitary products.
Moreover, it is important to remember that a good entrance carpet can greatly reduce dirt.

Have a successful day!

Here are a few hints on how to have a successful day:

  • Establish a sequence of actions to perform in a day/week/month
  • Define a sequential order of rooms
  • Integrate linked and periodical tasks (monthly)
  • Make sure to have time gaps to focus on periodical tasks (dusting of high surfaces, polishing, etc.)
  • Minimize traveling
  • Work by space and not by task
  • Distribute tasks equitably
  • One look is worth a thousand words: choose a colorful plan together with some graphics instead of a list of tasks on a word file!

This is all for this series of posts on Cleaning in Hospitals! Don’t forget that we’re always here to help, don’t hesitate to book an appointment by calling 514.645.2753 or subscribe to one of our training seminars. I really hope that you liked this serie of posts!

References:
Hygiène et salubrité en milieux de soins – Démarche pour le développement de stratégies d’entretien des surfaces, MSSS, 2010, 52 pages.

Cleaning in Hospitals (part 3)

Gaétan Lanthier
cleaning-hospital-staff

The hygiene and cleanliness staff represents a key element in the fight against infections in hospital environments. Often little valued, their role in the global strategy of surface cleaning is extremely important.

The hygiene that comes from the work of the cleaning staff requires a high performance level. In order to reach that, the executing staff and the managers need to master all the different elements representing this profession.

Cleaning products and equipment are undeniably crucial in order to ensure performance during the environment asepsis of any establishment. Therefore, it is important to associate the day-to-day actions of the cleaning staff with a range of products and equipment that favor the quality of their performance.

Since several years, partly due to the devotion and the involvement of many members in the healthcare system, we take into consideration new factors:

  • Provincial training
  • Establishment of an AEP hygiene and cleanliness in healthcare environments of 630 hours now offered by many school boards
  • Provincial day of hygiene and cleanliness
  • Etc.

Having said this, the hygiene and cleanliness staff deserves our deepest gratitude. Thank you so much!

The next post is going to talk more in detail about one aspect of their profession: work organization.

Don’t miss any posts about this series, subscribe to this blog!

References:

Hygiène et salubrité en milieux de soins – Démarche pour le développement de stratégies d’entretien des surfaces, MSSS, 2010, 52 pages.

Cleaning in Hospitals (part 2)

Gaétan Lanthier
cleaning-hospitals

Cleaning in hospitals allows reducing risks of infection among patients. This is not the only factor, of course: good personal hygiene habits such as washing hands and the use of protective equipment such as overalls, gloves, masks, or protective glasses are also important elements.

For this reason, interventions must be well coordinated in order to have a good surface maintenance plan. The manager of hygiene and cleanliness should therefore take into account:

  • The type of place associated to the level of risk
  • The tasks to perform
  • The required cleaning frequency

If well applied, a detailed estimate allows validating the cleaning performance.

The global approach is going to be determined by type of place:

  • Regular eradication (e.g.: operating rooms)
  • Keeping environmental effects as light as possible (e.g.: low infection risk such as individual office spaces)
  • Balance of microorganisms. This approach is based on the competition between good and bad microbes. The presence of good microbes guarantees less space for bad microbes to grow (e.g.: living environments)
  • Green cleaning. Approach that uses less toxic products
  • Review and improve arrangements and/or surfaces (during conception or renovation)

The next post of this series is going to talk about another key factor: the hygiene and cleanliness staff.

References:

Le nettoyage dans les hôpitaux du 21e siècle by Dr. Stephanie J. Dancer, Medical, Microbiology, Hairmyres Hospital, UK appeared on the magazine Le Nettoyage professionnel, July/August 2012.

Hygiène et salubrité en milieux de soins – Démarche pour le développement de stratégies d’entretien des surfaces, MSSS, 2010, 52 pages.

Cleaning in Hospitals (part 1)

Gaétan Lanthier
hospital-cleaning

For a long time, cleaning has been all about the look; fresh smell and the absence of stains or dirt were the criteria to determine that a place is clean. Today, these criteria are still generally accepted in environments such as offices and classrooms.

It’s common knowledge, however, that microbes (bacteria or viruses) invisible to the human eye represent a risk for spreading infections. Take the example of the influenza virus: it can survive for up to 48 hours on a hard surface!

Without cleaning and disinfection procedures or a quality check procedure, microbes can survive in hospital environments.

Three key elements have to be considered in order to perform an infective risk analysis:

  • Is the patient carrying a disease agent? Disease agents are classified based on their spreading capacity and their virulence. The choice of a disinfectant will be based on this.
  • Do the functional activities of a sector represent a risk of spreading infections from the environment? E.g.: food service, offices, Intensive Care, etc.
  • The intensity of contact is related to the traffic and the surfaces that are more likely to be touched. E.g.: bathroom fittings.

Have you already performed an infective risk analysis? The next post is going to explain how cleaning allows reducing risks of infection among patients.

Don’t miss any posts about this series, subscribe to this blog! You just need to write your e-mail address, it’s that easy!

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References:

Le nettoyage dans les hôpitaux du 21e siècle by Dr. Stephanie J. Dancer, Medical, Microbiology, Hairmyres Hospital, UK appeared on the magazine Le Nettoyage professionnel, July/August 2012.

Hygiène et salubrité en milieux de soins – Démarche pour le développement de stratégies d’entretien des surfaces, MSSS, 2010, 52 pages.

A Brief History of Bleach 2021

Gaétan Lanthier

Bleach has been studied for the first time by a French chemist named Claude Louis Berthollet in 1775. His factory was based in Paris in the district of… Javel! That is why the French are calling it: Eau de Javel (Javel Water).

Javel Underground, Paris, France

JAVEL Undergroud Station in Paris. Photo courtesy of Google Street View

At first, bleach was used for laundry and as a fade. From 1820, a pharmacist named Antoine Germain Labarraque studied more deeply its disinfecting properties . In the XIX Century, it was commonly used as a disinfectant and water treatment. The NASA used bleach during the Apollo program to disinfect the Apollo XI rocket after its return, in order to avoid contaminating Earth with potential dangerous viruses!

What is Bleach?

Bleach is composed of sodium hypochlorite (NaClO). For chemistry fans, its chemical formula is as follows:

Cl2 + 2 NaOH → NaCl + NaClO + H2O.

For those who don’t like chemistry, well… the formula is the same!

What’s new with Bleach?

Nowadays, bleach is still used as a disinfectant. Stabilized formulas enable to combine the disinfecting ability of chlorine together with the cleaning ability of surfactants.

Other references: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleach

We have cleaning solution for you

Visit our web site at www.lalema.com. You will find what you need to distinfect with sodium hypochlorite solution. We are also he owner of Certiklor Technology

How to obtain a more effective disinfection with Certiklör?

What is Certiklör? The name of a new chemical? A new government certification?

None of the above! Simply put, Certiklör technology is the insurance for you, your patients and all Canadians to achieve a better, more efficient and high quality disinfection. Certiklör is a proprietary technology developed by Lalema for you. This technology ensures that you have in the bottle, an effective stabilized hypochlorite, and here to stay!

Let’s talk about surface disinfection

Gaétan Lanthier

How to safely perform cleaning and disinfection a surface soiled with bodily fluid and dispose of waste properly?

Here is some of the content from my exclusive training on Infection Prevention and Control in the Presence of Body Fluids. This training (in French with English documentation), presented in the form of short video clips (nearly forty), lasts approximately 2 hours and covers several exclusive and relevant content for hygiene and sanitation workers.

Disinfection

OVERVIEW OF THE CONTENT OF A TRAINING ON DISINFECTION TECHNIQUES

  • The main microbes to which sanitary maintenance workers can be exposed, the associated risks and the means of transmission
  • Basic concepts in sanitary maintenance for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces
  • The different body fluids (body fluids) and the associated risk factors
  • Products and accessories for cleaning and disinfection
  • Personal protective equipment
  • Cleaning and disinfection techniques including hand washing.

THE MAIN MICROBES TO WHICH HEALTH MAINTENANCE WORKERS MAY BE EXPOSED, THE ASSOCIATED RISKS AND THE MEANS OF TRANSMISSION

  • Microbes
  • Viruses or bacteria
  • Reproduction of bacteria
  • Survival of bacteria on surfaces
  • Infectious risk
  • Transmission of infections
  • Virus or bacteria

BASIC CONCEPTS IN SANITARY MAINTENANCE FOR THE CLEANING AND DISINFECTIONS OF SURFACES

  • Basics
  • Sinner’s Circle
  • Wetting power
  • Micelles
  • Foaming power
  • PH scale
  • Eradication of microbes
  • Contact time
  • DIN
  • Types of disinfectants
  • Why dilute a product
  • Always read the manual
  • 7 ways to make maintenance safer

THE DIFFERENT BODY FLUIDS (BIOLOGICAL LIQUIDS) AND THE ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS

  • Body fluids and associated risks
  • Body fluids (body fluids)
  • Risk factors

PRODUCTS AND ACCESSORIES FOR CLEANING AND DISINFECTION

  1. Produits et accessoires
  2. Trousse de matériel

LES ÉQUIPEMENTS DE PROTECTION INDIVIDUELLE

  • Personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Hand hygiene
  • Dressing procedure
  • Undressing procedure
  • Practical advice
  • Wearing the mask

CLEANING AND DISINFECTION TECHNIQUES

  • Cleaning and disinfection steps
  • Steps to follow
  • Cleaning and disinfection procedure
  • Waste management
  • What is biomedical waste

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

A training cannot be complete without a formal evaluation! This is why we offer each participant a quiz of 10 questions before issuing a superb attestation!

So, are you going to try?

Clean first, then disinfect

Rémi Siv
Cleaning with a microfiber cloth

Cleaning and disinfection have long been routine in any facility. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted these operations since SARS-CoV-2 can persist on various surface materials for hours or days. Facilities have sought to improve these cleaning and disinfection practices. Therefore, it is imperative that this process be orderly. Therefore, this article addresses the importance of cleaning before disinfecting. Cleaning and disinfection should be a 2-step process to reduce the risk of transmission of environmental infections.

Clean first! Why?

Primum nitidare – “D’abord nettoyer (Clean First)”. It is a book that my coworker, Gaétan Lanthier, wrote in 2019. It is to say that this is not a new subject!

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites: “cleaning is “the necessary first step of any sterilization or disinfection process” or, more
simply, you must clean first before you can disinfect.”

The CDC adds: “Cleaning is the necessary first step of any sterilization or disinfection process. Cleaning is a form of decontamination that renders
the environmental surface safe to handle or use by removing organic matters, salts, and visible soils, all of which interfere with microbial inactivation.”

It’s in the mechanical action (friction)

As the CDC mentions it: “The physical action of scrubbing with detergents and surfactants and rinsing with water removes large numbers of
microorganisms from surfaces.”

Studies have shown that friction or mechanical action is at the heart of cleaning. This facilitates the effective removal of dirt, debris, microbes and soiling, making a surface ready for disinfection if necessary.

It’s a matter of interference

The CDC defines cleaning as the “necessary first step” in any disinfection process for “at least two” important reasons: it removes any barrier between the disinfectant and the target pathogen, and it removes materials that could potentially inactivate the disinfectant.

In order to effectively kill pathogens, disinfectant chemicals must have direct contact with the pathogen; however, soils, dirt, and debris can coat or
protect microorganisms, essentially serving as a protective barrier between the chemical and the target.

The build-up to biofiolms

Another important reason to clean first before disinfecting has less to do with the immediate action of a disinfectant on a surface. Rather, it is in prevention of a future problem, namely the buildup to biofilms.

Biofilms are populations of microorganisms attached to a solid surface and protected by a “viscous layer”. This layer is an extracellular matrix of polysaccharides and non-cellular materials.

Biofilms can virtually form on any hard surface, from the countertop to the water pipe. They are involved in a range of infectious diseases.

What about touch-free technology?

Comac ULVC Electrostatic Sprayer for Disinfection

Although research has shown that many of these systems, from ultraviolet light (UV-C) to hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) to electrostatic sprayers, can reduce microbial contamination, experts caution that they should be used as a complement to standard manual cleaning and disinfection rather than as a replacement.

Organic matters, dirt and grimes are a limiting factor for UV-C technology.
A light or heavy organic load has a significant negative impact on the destructive efficiency of the devices.

In short, clean first with mechanical action (friction) to remove dirt, debris and microbes. The disinfection step is to be done when the interferences are removed by cleaning in order to kill microbes. This reduces the risk of transmission of environmental infections by keeping surfaces clean.

Loose translation of Rubbermaid TWO STEPS FOR A REASON:
THE CASE FOR CLEANING PRIOR TO DISINFECTION
https://www.rubbermaidcommercial.com/resource-center/1b113258af3968aaf3969ca67e744ff8/The_Case_for_Cleaning_Prior_to_Disinfection_White_Paper/

Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html

Disinfection – The Power of Steam

Rémi Siv
Credit – Andrew Knechel Unsplash

Disinfection using disinfectant cleaners with active ingredients including alcohol and quaternary ammonium has often been discussed. Another disinfection solution is to disinfect with steam and pressure. Cleaning with the power of steam is a proven method of disinfection. Dry saturated steam at high temperatures kills viruses, bacteria, germs and bedbugs! It is an environmentally friendly and practical way to clean all kinds of surfaces.

THE POWER OF STEAM

The power of steam is to dissolve and emulsify grease, mold, dirt by vaporizing and killing viruses, bacteria and germs.

WHAT ABOUT SARS-CoV-2?

Despite that the power of steam kills viruses, bacteria and germs, opinions vary and there may be a lack of evidence that it can kill SARS-CoV-2 virus. The list of approved disinfectants put out by The Environmental Protection Agency only includes chemicals.

Patty Olinger, the executive director of the Global Biorisk Advisory Council, a division of ISSA (a cleaning industry trade association), said that, based on current evidence, while steam can kill the virus, it needs a lengthier application time than some users may realize.

On the other hand, Heidi Wilcox, a microbiologist and commercial cleaning consultant, says that: “At this point during the pandemic I would not use steam at all.” She cites a lack of strong evidence.

Then again, industry representatives such as Wayne Delfino from Advanced Vapor Technologies of Everett, Washington, insist that dry steam vapor works. The company’s non-chemical, “Thermo Accelerated Nano Crystal Sanitation” technology, he wrote in an email, “has been tested and proven effective on harder-to-kill viruses and on a similar human coronavirus in seven seconds or less.”

SURFACES TO CLEAN

Steam cleaners can clean and disinfect all kinds of surfaces. With the right tools, they can concentrate the jets to properly clean specific surfaces and hard-to-reach areas. Here are some examples:

  • Clothing
  • Mirrors
  • Seals (e.g. ceramic)
  • Mattresses and bedding
  • Stainless steel
  • Floors
  • Grids and hoods
  • ECOLOGICAL
  • Steam machines are said to be environmentally friendly because they require no chemicals. Only water is needed to steam disinfect and clean thoroughly.

NEED STEAMER MACHINES?

Power Steamer Machine JS 1600C

Power Steamer Machine JS 1600C

The power of steam from JS1600C attacks grease, grime, hard water deposits and mold. It leaves surfaces clean and sanitized without the use of chemicals. Operator safety is assured by the 12V waterproof switches and controls, a pressure switch, a high-limit thermal shutoff and an LED display informing the operator when the water level is low. The Energy saving safety system also automatically shuts off the machine if it’s idle for 60 minutes.

  • The tank can be filled while the unit is running, allowing for continuous use
  • Excellent on grouted floors, showers, kitchens and any area where detail cleaning is a challenge
  • Very effective in all food preparation and processing areas, including stainless steel range hoods in kitchens
  • Ideal for hotel rooms – spot draperies, bedspreads and carpets, and even kill bed bugs and their eggs on mattresses
  • Clean floors with the optional “steam mop” and 33′ hose
  • The continuous flow system provides the necessary steam to remove dirt and built-up soil while leaving your floors and surfaces virtually dry

Ecological Vapor with Vacuum A2006

Commercial Ecological Vapor with Vacuum A2006

The Vapore A2006 acts as two machines in one unit. The vapor not only dissolves dirt and grime, but is scientifically certified to disinfect any surface, thoroughly eliminating bacteria and viruses in an ecological way without use of chemicals.

  • With the water filtration system of the vacuum, Vapore A2006 collects dirt and traps it in the water without the risk of spreading dust
  • Vapore A2006 also has a HEPA filtration system to ensure the cleanliness of the air is not compromised
  • Equipped with a cold water reservoir, the Vapore A2006 has a continuous fill feature which allows you to refill the vapor system with water at any time, without stopping
  • The machine comes with a variety of floor accessory and tools

There’s no proof that the power of steam can kill SARS-CoV-2, but the virus is known to be sensitive to the exposure of high-temperature. Could it be a question of exposure length or a question of chemicals? However, the power of steam can be useful for general disinfection.

Visit our catalog of steam machines or any other type of disinfectant cleaners on lalema.com.

Source:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-nation-paralyzed-by-a-pathogen-deep-cleaners-have-their-day/
https://new.nilfisk.com/global/articles/steam-solution-when-hygiene-is-critical/

Surface Cleaning Methods & Products with RCP

Rémi Siv
Hygen microfiber from Rubbermaid Commercial Products
Hygen microfiber from Rubbermaid Commercial Products

The COVID-19 has led us to adopt new protocols to ensure patient and staff safety in healthcare facilities. Having said that, it is crucial to equip yourself with the right surface cleaning and disinfection products in healthcare facilities! What are the right products? How should you clean? Let’s explore them with the help from Rubbermaid Commercial Products, a world leader in the commercial cleaning industry! Of course, in these strange days, depending on the availability of some products, Lalema has suggestions as well ;)!

SURFACE CLEANING PRODUCTS

First of all, here are some products suggested by RCP for surface cleaning. Overall, most of them are available. Otherwise, we have replacements.

Recommended surface cleaning products
Recommended surface cleaning products

Hygen microfiber cloths – Rubbermaid Commercial Products’ all-purpose 16″ x 16″ HYGEN microfiber cloths remove 99.9% of the viruses and bacteria tested on surfaces.

Bowl Brush – This bowl brush has a plastic handle. The brush is made of polypropylene bristles. It is odor and stain resistant.

Toilet brush holder – This toilet brush holder is made of polypropylene. It is stain and odor resistant.

Bottle and Sprayer: Graduated bottle for inserting and spraying cleaning solutions.

As a replacement for Hygen disposable microfiber cloths and its charging tub system, we suggest this:

Dry Wipes and MYOSAN TB Kit – Kit of dry wipes and MYOSAN TB designed to disinfect and eliminate microorganisms on hard surfaces. It should inactivate the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Dry Wipes and MYOSAN TB Kit
Dry Wipes and MYOSAN TB Kit

BEST PRACTICES

Second, as expectations for cleanliness and hygiene rise, facilities must ensure that they have an established surface cleaning and disinfection process. This includes regular cleaning of high-traffic areas. Below are the best surface cleaning practices used in hospitals around the world today.

CLEANING TIPS

  1. Clean systematically, clockwise or counterclockwise – No surface is forgotten, this process saves time and is more ergonomic
  2. Go from clean to dirty – This reduces the likelihood of the spread of infections and contaminants
  3. Clean from the top to the bottom – Any dust or debris dislodged from the upper surface will naturally fall to the lower surfaces
  4. Wipe in one direction (unidirectional wiping) – Unidirectional wiping ensures that the solution is applied over the entire surface, while circular wiping re-contaminates areas
  5. Color Coding – Use single color wiping cloth for each zone. For example:
  • Red for high risk areas
  • Blue for mirrors
  • Yellow for baths and showers

8-SURFACE FOLDING METHODOLOGY

Finally, the 8-surface folding methodology! This is the 8-sided folding for microfiber cloths. It optimizes the use of the cloth while reducing the risk of cross-contamination during the cleaning process. Here are the steps:

8-SURFACE FOLDING METHODOLOGY
8-SURFACE FOLDING METHODOLOGY

8-surface folding methodology by Rubbermaid Commercial Products

  1. Start by opening a clean microfiber cloth
  2. Fold the microfiber cloth in half
  3. Fold the microfiber cloth into four pieces
  4. Clean surfaces with both sides of the cloth exposed
  5. Open the microfiber cloth once to change the sides
  6. Fold over to expose both clean cleaning surfaces
  7. Fully open the microfiber cloth when all four sides have been used
  8. Repeat steps 2 to 7 to use all eight sides

In short, these tips are only general since we could have gone deeper into the details or in further checklists. However, the importance is to set up a methodology for surface cleaning and disinfection and to be equipped with the right products. Don’t forget to wear personal safety equipment! Let’s save the subject of floor cleaning for another day!

Lalema would like to thank and salute all the staff in the healthcare facilities for their services!

Spotlight on microfiber!

Rémi Siv
Microfiber cloths
Wipeco multi-use microfiber cloths MFC-1414/10P

As we all know, the cleaning and disinfection of premises and surfaces have never been more critical with the COVID-19 pandemic. We often talk about disinfectant cleaners, but this time the focus is on microfiber cleaning cloths and tools. Since its commercial introduction, microfiber has been part of everyday life because of its reliability and effectiveness in cleaning and wiping.

WHAT IS A MICROFIBER CLOTH?

Microfiber is a synthetic textile fiber (polyester, polyamide or a mixture) that is very fine and light with a denomination which is less than one decitex. The decitex is a unit of measurement: 1 decitex = 1 g / 10 km of yarn. In fact, the term “microfiber” is used when 10 km of yarn weighs less than one gram.

A microfiber (filament) is characterised by its small diameter, the nature of its fiber and its structure. Therefore, not all microfibers are the same or of the same quality.

This revolutionary material has quickly become a must in the hygiene, health and automotive sectors. See how it is made.

THE “STORIES” OF MICROFIBER

No one is entirely sure where and when microfiber was developed. However, here are two interesting stories/versions:

  1. According to Texasmicrofiber:
    “In the late 1950s, various spinning techniques were used to produce ultra-fine fibers. At that time, experiments had resulted in random length pieces, and the first real success occurred in Japan in the 1960s.

    Dr. Miyoshi Okamoto and Dr. Toyohiko Hikota worked on this project to finally find microfibers suitable for industrial use. Ultrasuede fiber was one of the first success stories, and reached the market in the following decade. This led to an explosion in the value of microfibers in the textile sector. »
  2. According to Maboutiqueecolo:
    “It would have been invented by the Swede Rudolf Nordine in the 1980s. The invention of microfiber is said to have come about by chance during the manufacture of “towels” for hairdressing salons. These were so absorbent that they could suck out the dye from freshly dyed hair. Nordine was quick to file a patent to protect this discovery. He was awarded a prize at the Lépine competition in 1998 for this invention at the International Invention Salon in Paris. »

USE AND EFFECTIVENESS

Microfiber has the power to clean and dust different kinds of surfaces without necessarily adding a cleaning product. This is why it can be seen as an organic and ecological product.

Microfiber cloths can be used dry or wet. First, when used dry, they attract dust and trap it in its microfibers (micro-filaments). Then, when wet (with or without a cleaning product), they trap grease and dirt.

During a pandemic, it is used with a disinfectant cleaner to disinfect surfaces. Lalema also suggests using a microfiber cloth with a tuberculocidal disinfectant. This Myosan TB starter kit is an example:

Myosan TB starter kit
Myosan TB starter kit

There are several types of microfiber products for all kinds of surfaces: cloth, pad/mop, feather duster, towel, etc.

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEM?

Microfibers are economical and environmentally friendly. They can be reused up to 500 times. “Avez-vous le pouce microfibre?” by Kim Beauregard is an article about the maintenance of microfibers. Unfortunately, it is in French only. But here are key elements:

  • Wash the microfibers separately from other textiles and items
  • Use a small amount of liquid laundry detergent while washing.
  • Do not use a softening agent
  • Wash them in cold or room water
  • Dry the microfibers at low temperature or without heat

So, microfiber is a revolutionary material in the world of cleaning. Whether it is used as a cloth, a pad/mop or a duster, it is the ultimate cleaning tool for cleaning and wiping in many sectors. Finally, microfiber cloths can replace disposable wipes. Use them with a disinfectant product to disinfect the surfaces in your environment.

Lalema has several microfiber products from leading brands.

Sources:
https://www.microfibrefrance.com/quest-ce-quune-microfibre.html
https://www.gralon.net/articles/materiel-et-consommables/materiels-industriels/article-la-microfibre—une-matiere-revolutionnaire-4549.htm
http://www.maboutiqueecolo.com/fr/menage-rapide
https://texasmicrofiber.com/blog/brief-history-microfiber/
https://www.parish-supply.com/microfiber-history.aspx

COVID-19 and the preventive measures.

Rémi Siv

2019-nCoV is making the headlines these days. What is the 2019-nCoV and what are the preventive measures? Up to now, we don’t fully understand the pathogenic potential and transmission dynamics of this new 2019 coronavirus.

Young woman with respiratory mask

What is it?

In a nutshell, it is part of the coronavirus family. It presents “80% of similarities” with the SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome) which killed hundreds of people in 2003. This virus does not spread as well as influenza and doesn’t evolve very quickly. The symptoms are the same as most flu cases: fever, cough, muscle aches, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.

Last December, the coronavirus appeared in Wuhan, a city in central China. The cities of Wuhan and Huanggang have been quarantined. So far, it has killed 490 people in China and thousands of people have been infected. The virus has also been detected in 23 other countries. In order to limit its spread, measures are being taken in several countries. The WHO (World Health Organization) has declared this virus as an international emergency.

Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan

What are the preventive measures?

Brief, here are some preventive measures for 2019-nCoV. As suggested by the WHO, the following are strategies for health care-associated infection prevention and control when a case of nCoV is suspected:

  1. Early detection and source control
    – Encouraging health care workers and managers to have a high level of clinical suspicion
  2. Application of standard precautions for all patients
    – Ensure that respiratory hygiene measures are taken by providing a medical mask in case of suspected nCoV infection for those who can tolerate it
    – Cover your nose and mouth by coughing or sneezing into a tissue or bent elbow
    – Wash hands after contact with respiratory secretions
    – Wear personal protective equipment
    – Follow environmental cleaning and disinfection procedures consistently and correctly
  3. The implementation of empirical additional precautions
    – Wear a particulate respirator at least as protective as a NIOSH N95, EU FFP2 certified respirator or equivalent
    – Wear eye protection (goggles or face shield)
    – Use clean, non-sterile long-sleeved coveralls
    – Wear gloves and avoid contact with eyes, nose or mouth with potentially contaminated hands
    – Use disposable equipment or dedicated equipment to be disinfected after each use
  4. Administrative controls
    – Ensure sustainable infection prevention and control infrastructure and activities are in place
    – Provide training and education to health care workers and patients
  5. Environmental and technical controls
    – Ensure adequate ventilation and proper cleaning of the environment

So, do not hesitate to contact us for your needs and questions about our products or hygiene training.

For more details on 2019-nCoV, see the following sources:
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1482141/coronavirus-chine-questions-reponses
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1486752/coronavirus-chine-villes-quarantaine-transports
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1482961/coronavirus-virus-chine-asie
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/lab-biosafety-guidelines.html
https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200203-sitrep-14-ncov.pdf

Is Ultraviolet disinfection the new technology for reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections?

Sara Lafond

According to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control, the use of ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology in an operating room eliminated up to 97.7% of pathogens (infectious agent), which otherwise could have caused hospital-acquired infections. The UV light technology that was used is by PurpleSun, a New York based company. PurpleSun’s UV technology can reach and clean multiple surfaces in several seconds, compared to traditional disinfecting methods which use chemicals and does not eliminate bacteria as well. Traditional methods also take longer, since it is normally humans cleaning with a disinfectant.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

What is ultraviolet disinfection?

Ultraviolet disinfection is the use of UV light to disinfect. UV light is absorbed by the DNA and RNA of microorganisms, which in turn causes changes in the structure of the DNA and RNA. This makes the microorganisms incapable of replicating. According to Bolton (2008), “because they cannot multiply, they cannot cause disease, even though technically they are still metabolically alive.” Ultraviolet disinfection is more commonly used for the disinfection of water, however, it may soon become an effective method to eliminate bacteria causing hospital-acquired infections.

PurpleSun: pioneer in ultraviolet disinfection technologies?

PurpleSun is a New York based company, and is set to be the first company to launch ultraviolet-based technology as a disinfectant. Their mission, as stated on their website, is to reduce hospital-acquired infections, in order to save lives, reduce costs, and enhance safety in healthcare facilities.

On their website, they have identified 3 limitations with hospitals’ current disinfection process:
1) Everything is done by hand
2) There are thousands of surfaces, and not enough time to clean them all
3) There is no room for human error

PurpleSun’s light disinfectant will allow rooms to be cleaned within seconds, disinfect all the surfaces in the room and has been proven to be very effective in eliminating harmful pathogens.

Is ultraviolet technology the next step that healthcare facilities must take to reduce the risk of HAIs?

Light technology as a disinfectant is still in the process of experimentation in healthcare facilities. That being said, the study conducted produced highly favorable results. PurpleSun as a company has also been doing extremely well on a global scale, being named one of the 50 most promising companies in the world. Furthermore, many firms and organizations have been investing in and partnering with the company, demonstrating that the company has a lot of potential. The effectiveness of ultraviolet light as a disinfectant is undeniable, but for now, we will just have to wait and see what the future holds for it in healthcare facilities.

Sources:

https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/environmental-hygiene/study-says-ultraviolet-disinfection-977-effective-eliminating-pathogens

https://purplesun.com/

Bolton, James R. Cotton, Christine A.. (2008). Ultraviolet Disinfection Handbook (1st Edition). American Water Works Association (AWWA) . Retrieved from:
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpUDHE0001/ultraviolet-disinfection/ultraviolet-disinfection


One-wipe cleaning system in hospitals proven to be effective

Sara Lafond
Source: Flickr

According to Infection Control Today (2018), a recent study carried out in a hospital in the UK has determined that a “one wipe” cleaning system was proven to be more effective than the traditional “two wipes” system in reducing the risk of MRSA in hospitals. Between 2013-2016, the hospital had been using a “two wipe” system, which consisted of first using a detergent wipe and then using an alcohol wipe as a disinfectant. In May 2016, a universal cleaning and disinfection wipe was introduced to the healthcare facility, and it made a significant difference.

According to Infection Control Today (2018),

“Using a Poisson model the researchers demonstrated that the average hospital acquisition rate of MRSA/100,000 patient bed days reduced by 6.3 percent per month after the introduction of the new universal wipe.”

Infection Control Today (2018)

These results were significant, and led to a big change in how this UK healthcare facility cleans its equipment. Not only did the universal disinfectant wipes lead to higher efficacy, but they also led to higher efficiency, since healthcare workers now only have to go over the equipment once and are assured that it will be clean.

Keeping this in mind, there are many different types of disinfectant wipes to choose from. If you would like to learn more about different types of disinfectant wipes, and how each of them work, feel free to visit our official website, and view our product offerings, or contact us directly by phone or email.

Click on the link below to view our product offerings for disinfectant wipes.

http://www.lalema.com/catalog/disinfecting-wipers-101

Source:

https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/environmental-hygiene/simple-one-wipe-system-cleaning-nurses-effective-strategy-researchers-say

https://www.healthcarefacilitiestoday.com/posts/Study-says-one-wipe-cleaning-system-for-nurses-is-effective–20336

Hospital floors, yet another source of Hospital-Acquired Infections

Sara Lafond

The list of potential areas of contamination in hospitals seems to keep growing, leading us to identify more sources of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and making hospital cleaning continuously more complicated. To add to this, researchers are now finding that hospital floors are a significant source of hospital-acquired infections. Every day, hospital and clinic floors are flooded by thousands of people. Shoes soles, wheels from equipment, such as monitors or stretchers and bodily fluids all contribute to the contamination of hospital floors.

It seems so obvious; floors are dirty in general. Hospital floors must be even dirtier. However, as Koganti, et. al. (2016) describes,

“… hospital floors are often heavily contaminated but are not considered an important source for pathogen dissemination because they are rarely touched. However, floors are frequently contacted by objects that are subsequently touched by hands (e.g., shoes, socks, slippers). In addition, it is not uncommon for high-touch objects such as call buttons and blood pressure cuffs to be in contact with the floor.”

(Koganti, et. al. (2016).

In addition to this, shoe soles and wheels on equipment also frequently touch hospital floors. Shoes of healthcare professionals can lead to the spread of infection since these workers are visiting many different patient rooms. Similarly, equipment such as monitors, stretchers or infusion pumps all have wheels which touch the floors of multiple hospital rooms.

Now you might be thinking, ‘but surely hospital floors are routinely cleaned?’ While that is true, researchers are now finding that much of the floor cleaning that is done is relatively ineffective since the bacteria is able to reproduce so quickly. So, what can be done to help reduce the risk of hospital floor contamination?

A good hygiene program for hospital floors, to reduce the risk of contamination

The cleaning and the disinfection of floors are essential elements of an effective hygiene program for hospitals. Regular floor maintenance implies the systematic elimination of hidden bacterias, which can be achieved by using vacuums, mopping and other elimination processes.

A good floor disinfection program consists of using effective disinfectants/detergents and procedures that are notable for reducing the risk of contamination. It is also important that cleaning equipment be properly cleaned and maintained, so that bacteria doesn’t spread when cleaning.

Cleaning hospital floors seems like a daunting task, especially since bacteria has been able to reproduce and spread itself so quickly. Healthcare facilities will need to become more exigent with their floor cleaning programs, if they are going to seriously tackle the threat of hospital-acquired infections.

Source : 
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/environmental-hygiene/shoe-sole-and-floor-contamination-new-consideration-environmental-hygiene

Will “good” viruses replace antibiotics in the future?

Sara Lafond

A major health concern for the future

Antibiotics have been around for almost 100 years now, and have proven to be very effective against fighting harmful bacterias. However, during this time, these bacteria had time to evolve and many of them are now becoming “drug-resistant”, meaning that these bacteria have developed a resistance to antibiotics. There are even some bacteria, known as “superbugs”, that have become resistant to nearly every existing antibiotic. If a person is infected with a “superbug”, this means they cannot seek treatment from antibiotics and will have to rely solely on their immune system to fight the disease. This could result in death by diseases that were once treatable. According to the United Nations World Health Organization, “By 2050, estimates indicate that more people could die from antibiotic resistant infections than those who currently die from cancer” (2016), making drug-resistant bacteria one of the most serious health concerns that we face. 

Source: Wikimedia Commons

So if antibiotics are becoming ineffective, then what can be done? Researchers are now turning towards a “good virus” called a “bacteriophage”, or simply phage, that kills bacteria, which was previously overlooked by researchers and scientists.

Phages: The Virus that kills drug-resistant superbugs

First of all, what is a phage? Simply put, phages are viruses that infect specific bacteria (Motherboard, Vice). This means that bacteriophages do not infect human or animal cells. There are more phages on earth than any other living specimen, and they can be found almost anywhere. There are also many different kinds of phages, and each phage does not fight the same bacteria.

Phages kill bacteria by binding themselves to the membrane of the bacteria when they come in contact with it and then releasing an enzyme that drills a hole in the bacteria cell. The phage then injects its own DNA into the cell and reproduces more phages inside of it. This causes the bacteria cell to explode (Motherboard, Vice). Phages can therefore be used as a natural alternative to antibiotics, and may prove to be even more effective.

 

Source: Wikimedia Commons

 

In the early 1900s, phages were studied by many researchers and scientists all over the world, however, after the invention of antibiotics, Western countries became less interested in phages and any research about the viruses were put to a halt. The Soviet Union, on the other hand, kept investing in phage research and Russia, Georgia and Poland are among the only countries that use phage therapy today as a bacteria-fighting technique. Research scientist Benjamin Chan (Yale University) explains that the United States has been “hesitant to use bacteriophages because they’re a virus.” However, he goes on to explain that there are many types of viruses and virus does not always mean that there is a disease involved.

Will phages replace antibiotics in the future?

Maybe. It will take some time, as much research still needs to be done by Western countries. Many science researchers believe that they will begin to be used out of desperation. One thing is for sure though: our current antibiotics will no longer be a sustainable option and we need to find another alternative and fast!

For more information on the subject, watch the video below by Vice:

 

SOURCES:

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/9kdbqa/bacteriophages-phage-therapy-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria?utm_source=mbfb

http://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2012/06/14/les-phages-des-virus-guerisseurs_1718745_1650684.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotics

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=54928#.WnikApM-cWo

Water, a source of hospital-acquired infections?

Sara Lafond

Hospital-acquired infections are a serious threat in healthcare facilities today and researchers keep finding new sources of these infections. We know that sources of HAIs include surfaces, high-touch objects, hands and medical devices, but did you know that these infections can also occur due to the water and plumbing systems in healthcare facilities?

Source: Public Domain Pictures

According to Infection Control Today (2018), “Potable and utility water systems in healthcare settings are reservoirs and vectors of Hospital-acquired infections, resulting in pneumonias, bacteremias, skin infections, surgical site infections, eye infections and others.”

Hospitals are major users of potable water, whether it be for drinking, bathing, hand-washing or rinsing medical devices. It is therefore important that healthcare facilities realize that the water entering their facilities is not considered sterile.

Why is the water in plumbing systems infected? The design of and water use patterns in premise plumbing creates biofilms, which provide shelter and food for harmful bacterias. According to Infection Control Today (2018), “Biofilms in premise plumbing systems are complex ecosystems, and it is within these biofilms that bacteria, fungi and amoeba find the food, water and shelter they need.” Many bacteria develop in the biofilms, such as Legionella, Ancinetobacter aumanniii, Aspergillus flavus, etc.

Legionella – what is it and how does it affect patients in a healthcare setting?

Legionella colonies

Hospital-acquired infections

       Source: Wikimedia Commons

Legionella is one example of a bacteria that is found naturally in water. This bacteria is known for causing Legionnaires’ disease: a severe form of pneumonia. This disease is one of the most significant waterborne infections. Legionnaires normally has a mortality rate of only 10%, however, if acquired in a hospital, this rate goes up to anywhere between 25-50% (Infection Control Today, 2018)! Hospitals experience the highest number of outbreaks of Legionnaires disease (compared to other types of buildings) due to having a large number of patients with weakened immune systems or that have chronic diseases. It is important to note that the majority of Legionnaires cases in hospitals are due to the drinking water system.

How to reduce the risk of wHAIs: education and water management programs

So now that we are aware of waterborne hospital acquired infections (wHAIs), is there a way to reduce the risk that potable water poses to healthcare facilities? Infection Control Today (2018) suggests both education and water management programs as possible solutions to reducing the wHAI risk. Firstly, through education, it is important that healthcare workers know that potable water does carry bacteria and does cause an increase in HAIs. Second, once this idea of water carrying bacteria is understood, it will be important to implement water management programs. There can be no standardized water management programs, as all facilities differ in factors such as age of establishment and system, overall design of plumbing system, populations served, etc. Some hospitals have already tried different methods of water disinfection. Examples of these methods used to reduce risk include the use of sterile water in high-risk patient areas, engineering controls and point-of-use water filters.

To summarize, healthcare facilities must realize the risk that water and plumbing systems pose to their patients and employees. Hospital-acquired infections are one of the leading causes of death in North America and it is therefore crucial that hospitals take action against any source that could spread these infections. Education and water management programs are the best ways to help reduce the risk of wHAIs, according to Infection Control Today (2018).

Learn more about Hospital-acquired infections in this free webinar

Source: Infection Control Today. Vol. 22. No. 2. February 2018. 

Medical hygiene monitoring badges: how new technology is helping to prevent the spread of microorganisms

Sara Lafond

Hygiene and cleanliness are already monitored closely in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Hand sanitation is a crucial hygiene practice for both medical professionals’ well-being, as well as their patients. However, according to TrendHunter (2014), hand hygiene compliance in US hospitals is only achieved 50% of the time. And this is only an example of hand hygiene in the US. Studies would probably show similar, if not worse, percentages in countries across the globe. That is why Biovigil invented a medical hygiene monitoring badge.

Source: Pixabay

The Biovigil monitoring badge is specifically made for hand sanitation. The badge can be clipped on to a scrub or lab coat. It reminds healthcare workers to clean their hands when they leave or enter a patient’s room. It also works by telling either healthcare professionals or patients if their hands have been properly sanitized by turning green when the worker places their hand over the monitor. The badge also collects data on hand sanitation and sends it to be analyzed. While these badges are not heavily used yet, they could prove to be very efficient in eliminating the spread of hospital-aqcuired infections.

It is not, then, unreasonable to ask what other sort of technology could be developed in order to better monitor hygiene and sanitation in healthcare facilities. With the technological resources we have today, it is highly possible to create new products such as this. For now, most hygiene monitoring technologies revolve around hand sanitation. But as we’ve seen in other posts, there are way more sources of contamination and spread of bacteria than just hands; hospital bed mattresses, marked medical instruments, surface damages on medical equipment, etc. Why not create a technology that monitors the hygiene of these things as well? Similarly to the hand sanitation monitor, there could be monitors for other medical equipments that alert healthcare cleaners to check if they are clean and safe to use.

 

Source: https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biovigil

Surface Damage and its implications for healthcare facilities

Sara Lafond

Preventing and controlling the spread of contamination and infection is of very high importance for healthcare facilities, and it is safe to say that many measures have already been taken in order to reach these goals. However, like many things, there is still much room for improvement moreover when it is about surface damage.

medical equipment surface damage

Source: Shaw Air Force Base

Evidently healthcare facilities use a wide variety of equipment, from monitors to surgical instruments to cleaning tools, and over time, this equipment wears down. Sometimes, equipment will break completely and be unusable, however sometimes there will only be a few scratches or other small damage.  But what happens when these scratches or other forms of damage become shelters and areas of growth for microorganisms? This is an example of how surface damage may not only impede the prevention of bacteria growth, but also provide the microorganisms with a place to grow.

What is surface damage?

According to Infection Control Today, surface damage is defined as:

a quantifiable physical or chemical change from the original manufactured state of an object (surface or device).

While it is recognized that surface damage of medical equipment poses a potential threat in the spread of bacteria in healthcare facilities, there is no standardized method for healthcare workers to determine what is considered surface damage, and at what point the damage is likely to cause the spread of bacteria. In a later blog post, I will discuss the ideal surface damage testing protocol, proposed by Peter Teska et al. in “Infection Control Today.” In this article, the authors discuss ideal methods of avoiding the problems that surface damage presents.

Are your surfaces damaged?

At Lalema, when we talk about hygiene and cleanliness, we offer a wide range of technical and consulting services. Find out more.

You can also read this article about The complete guide for hospital cleanliness.

Source: Infection Control Today. Vol. 21. No. 12. January 2018.

How to reduce the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance?

Matthieu Fillion

As you know, improper and inappropriate use of antibiotics has resulted in bacteria developing resistance mechanisms. In general, we observe a decrease in the effectiveness of antibiotics in fighting multiresistant bacteria. In fact, the antibiotics that were developed between 1940 and 1980 generally had a very specific target, which facilitated the acquisition of resistance mechanisms by bacteria. In addition, the new antibiotics that are marketed are generally similar to existing antibiotics, making resistance acquisition even easier for bacteria. Thus, all the preceding facts suggest the importance of developing new antibiotics displaying novel mechanisms of action.

One of the alternatives is to develop antibiotics targeting the cell membrane of bacteria. Among others, we find the natural antimicrobial peptides that are a class of molecules participating in the immune response of several organisms such as bacteria, plants and mammals [1]. These peptides have the ability to form pores or to induce defects in the cell membrane, which will lead to a disturbance of the electrochemical gradient across the membrane, thus causing cell death (FIG. 1) .

antibiotic-resistance

Figure 1: Illustration of the main mechanisms of cationic antimicrobial peptides [3].

Inspired by these natural peptides, many researchers are attempting to develop synthetic antimicrobial peptides that will be both less toxic and pharmacologically viable. On the market, we find daptomycin (Cubicin®) which acts by a mechanism similar to natural antimicrobial peptides [4]. This antibiotic from the lipopeptide family is used for the treatment of infections involving methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). It is interesting to note that, like natural antimicrobial peptides, quaternary ammoniums, which are commonly used in disinfection operations, also destroy bacteria because of their membrane activity [5]. At Lalema, a wide range of quaternary ammonium-based disinfectants are available to meet your needs.

The ever-growing problem of antibiotic resistance is a major health issue and a heavy tax burden on governments. The use of an adequate antibiotic management system, the advent of new technology and better control of the transmission of pathogens (disinfection) are essential tools to reverse the current trend.

 

References

[1] Jenssen, H., Hamill, P., and Hancock, R.E. W. 2006 Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 19, 491-511.

[2] Zasloff, M. 2002 Nature, 415, 390-395.

[3] Chan, D. I., Prenner, E. J., and Vogel, H. J. 2006 Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1758, 1184-1202.

[4] Taylor, S. D., and Palmer, M. 2016 Bioorg. Med. Chem., 24, 6253-6268.

[5] Ioannou, C.J., Hanlon, G. W., and Denyer, S. P. 2007 Antimicrob. Chemother Agents, 51, 296-306.

The complete guide to hospital cleaning

Gaétan Lanthier

hospital-cleaning

For a long time, cleaning has been all about the look; fresh smell and the absence of stains or dirt were the criteria to determine that a place is clean. Today, these criteria are still generally accepted in environments such as offices and classrooms.

It’s common knowledge, however, that microbes (bacteria or viruses) invisible to the human eye represent a risk for spreading infections. Take the example of the influenza virus: it can survive for up to 48 hours on a hard surface!

Without cleaning and disinfection procedures or a quality check procedure, microbes can survive in hospital environments.

Three key elements have to be considered in order to perform an infective risk analysis:

  • Is the patient carrying a disease agent? Disease agents are classified based on their spreading capacity and their virulence. The choice of a disinfectant will be based on this.
  • Do the functional activities of a sector represent a risk of spreading infections from the environment? E.g.: food service, offices, Intensive Care, etc.
  • The intensity of contact is related to the traffic and the surfaces that are more likely to be touched. E.g.: bathroom fittings.

Infective Risk Analysis

Cleaning in hospitals allows reducing risks of infection among patients. This is not the only factor, of course: good personal hygiene habits such as washing hands and the use of protective equipment such as overalls, gloves, masks, or protective glasses are also important elements.

For this reason, interventions must be well coordinated in order to have a good surface maintenance plan. The manager of hygiene and cleanliness should therefore take into account:

  • The type of place associated to the level of risk
  • The tasks to perform
  • The required cleaning frequency

If well applied, a detailed estimate allows validating the cleaning performance.

The global approach is going to be determined by type of place:

  • Regular eradication (e.g.: operating rooms)
  • Keeping environmental effects as light as possible (e.g.: low infection risk such as individual office spaces)
  • Balance of microorganisms. This approach is based on the competition between good and bad microbes. The presence of good microbes guarantees less space for bad microbes to grow (e.g.: living environments)
  • Green cleaning. Approach that uses less toxic products
  • Review and improve arrangements and/or surfaces (during conception or renovation)

The Cleaning Staff: key to success

The hygiene and cleanliness staff represents a key element in the fight against infections in hospital environments. Often little valued, their role in the global strategy of surface cleaning is extremely important.

The hygiene that comes from the work of the cleaning staff requires a high performance level. In order to reach that, the executing staff and the managers need to master all the different elements representing this profession.

Cleaning products and equipment are undeniably crucial in order to ensure performance during the environment asepsis of any establishment. Therefore, it is important to associate the day-to-day actions of the cleaning staff with a range of products and equipment that favor the quality of their performance.

Since several years, partly due to the devotion and the involvement of many members in the healthcare system, we take into consideration new factors:

  • Provincial training
  • Establishment of an AEP hygiene and cleanliness in healthcare environments of 630 hours now offered by many school boards
  • Provincial day of hygiene and cleanliness
  • Etc.

Having said this, the hygiene and cleanliness staff deserves our deepest gratitude. Thank you so much!

Work Organization

How can proper work organization contribute to the cleanliness of a hospital? How to be in the right place with the right equipment? Here are the questions we are going to answer in this post of the Cleaning in Hospitals series.

Evaluation of production needs

First, we need to assess the needs in hygiene and cleanliness. In order to do this, a standard evaluation is preferable but it needs to be adjusted based on the type of place, units, and traffic.

It is during the evaluation of needs that the hygiene and cleanliness estimate (see Cleaning in Hospitals part 2) is going to be determined. All daily, weekly, monthly, and annual tasks have to be considered.

Usually, the results are presented by production yields (square meters/hour) or FTE (Full Time Equivalent).

How to reduce time waste

How to measure productivity in a context where an important aspect of the task is moving? Actually, hygiene and cleanliness departments are almost always in the basement, whereas most of their work happens on the floors!

We increase productivity by reducing traveling.

It is for this reason that the cleaning cart needs to be as complete as possible and the water sources or janitor’s closets well stocked with supplies (i.e.: paper products or waste bags), equipment, and sanitary products.

Moreover, it is important to remember that a good entrance carpet can greatly reduce dirt.

Have a successful day!

Here are a few hints on how to have a successful day:

  • Establish a sequence of actions to perform in a day/week/month
  • Define a sequential order of rooms
  • Integrate linked and periodical tasks (monthly)
  • Make sure to have time gaps to focus on periodical tasks (dusting of high surfaces, polishing, etc.)
  • Minimize traveling
  • Work by space and not by task
  • Distribute tasks equitably
  • One look is worth a thousand words: choose a colorful plan together with some graphics instead of a list of tasks on a word file!

Want to know more?

Look this free webinar from my collegue Remi:

Need help?

Don’t hesitate to call 514.645.2753 or subscribe to one of our training seminars. I really hope that you liked this post!

An enzyme to destroy biofilms

Gaétan Lanthier

One can not stop the progress. The discovery of an enzyme capable of preventing the production of a biofilm, this polymeric protective layer produced by bacteria that prevents antibiotics and surface disinfectants from functioning well, could ultimately revolutionize the fight against nosocomial infections.

perturbation-biofilm

The team at the McGill University Health Center, which includes Dr. Donald C. Sheppard, has published a study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Their hope is that this technology will be the subject of human clinical trials in Canada within 5 years and be used in hospitals within 10 years.

From the abstract:

We demonstrate that glycoside hydrolases derived from the opportunistic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus and Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be exploited to disrupt preformed fungal biofilms and reduce virulence.

What is a biofilm?

My colleague Rémi Charlebois described biofilms as follows:

Biofilms found on surfaces are often derived from a complex colony of microorganisms producing polymers that allow them to adhere better to the surface and facilitate colony life. In short, a biofilm is like a city for microbes. Man has learned to tame these biofilms and can use them to treat wastewater or produce certain molecules such as natural plastics. However, the presence of unwanted biofilms could be harmful and can lead to infections.

Biofilms are also found on the skin and medical devices. Thus, according to the article of Le Devoir:

Biofilms, a highly sticky matrix of proteins and sugar polymers made by bacteria to protect themselves, are attached to the skin, mucous membranes or the surface of biomedical materials, including catheters, tubing, heart valves and other prostheses Which become preferred entry points for infection.

In the same article, Dr. Sheppard quotes:

Biofilms are produced by molecules that defend against our immune system or against antibiotics with this shell that is 1000 times more resistant than the organisms that produce and proliferate in these biofilms.

An enzyme that acts as a “destructive machine” for biofilms

In short, the enzyme discovered was modified to destroy the biofilms instead of forming them. This is a new strategy that can reduce nosocomial infections in healthcare centers.

Watch this video about biofilms (25 minutes, french)

Sources:

http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/sante/501939/des-chercheurs-percent-le-secret-de-la-resistance-de-certaines-bacteries

http://www.lapresse.ca/sciences/medecine/201706/27/01-5111114-avancee-majeure-contre-les-infections-dans-les-hopitaux.php

Biofilms: What you should know.

Gaétan Lanthier

Biofilms are everywhere

Well hidden or sometimes visible, always disgusting, biofilms, as so well described by my colleague Rémi Charlebois, are defined as follows:

Biofilm is an aggregation of microbial cells, surrounded by a protective layer of extracellular polymeric matrix, which attaches itself to any surface found in the hospital environment and becomes a source of contamination. Formation of complex, multicellular communities by microorganisms is a natural phenomenon which helps bacteria or fungi to survive environmental stress such as cleaning and disinfection.

Warning: Graphic Content Ahead

A Biofilm looks like this:

Kitchen Drain

biofilms-drain-cuisine

Source: http://www.biofilm.montana.edu/content/household-biofilms

Sink strainer

biofilm-bouchon-evier

Source: http://www.biofilm.montana.edu/content/household-biofilms

Showerhead

biofilm-pommeau-douche

Source: http://www.biofilm.montana.edu/content/household-biofilms

Toilet Bowl

biofilm-cuve-toilette

Source: http://www.biofilm.montana.edu/content/household-biofilms

How to remove biofilms

Here are 3 methods to eliminate biofilm:

Replace equipment

This mehode is somewhat drastic, probably very expensive certainly mostly impractical. Some industries still proceed that way in 2016. I must say that in some cases it may be the only and best solution. For example pipe sections, filters, etc.

Strong acids and bases

Hydrochloric or Peracetic acids or strong bases such as caustic are sometimes used alternatively. However, corrosivity and danger of these chemicals can damage surfaces, individual protection equipment, storage and handling can also be a challenge . Furthermore, there is always the workplace hazards.

3 useful definitions in cleaning and disinfection

Gaétan Lanthier

When it comes to cleanliness, some people are mixing technical terms leading to ambiguity. It is like mixing chemicals together: That is not a good idea! To keep it simple, we’ll just give three useful definitions.

Deteriorated surfaces

A deteriorated surface shows wear off sign often caused by time or misuse.

Deterioration is one of three elements of impairment of property, the others being functional obsolescence (or obsolescence) and economic obsolescence.

surfaces-vetustes

Safe surfaces

Safe surface means that it is safe to health. Such surface is healthy or good for health often because of risk management. In the food industry, this is why we often refer to it as food safety.
Safe is also synonymous to hygienic !

corridor-hopital-lalema

Disinfected surfaces

Disinfection is a voluntary momentary removal operation of certain bacteria (if it comes to “all germs” we refer more to sterilization), so as to stop or prevent infection or the risk of infection or superinfection by pathogenic or undesirable microorganisms or viruses.

For example:

  • To sanitize a surface eliminates 99.9% of microorganisms (This is a 1,000 X reduction)
  • To disinfect a surface removes 99.999% of microorganisms (This is a 100,000 X reduction)
  • To sterilize a surface or instrument removes 99.9999% of microorganisms (This is a 1,000,000 X reduction)

Obviously, “momentarily” is a key fator because the surface will be contaminated again as soon a a contaminant will enter in contact with the it. That’s why some disinfectants have a residual effect that prolongs the action of disinfectant for a certain time.

biofilm-1024x767

Sources: Larousse, Wikipedia, Linternaute