Author: Rémi Charlebois

Free Webinar: Fighting Healthcare Associated Infection with Environmental Hygiene

Rémi Charlebois

Fighting Healthcare Associated Infection with Environmental Hygiene.

The main objective of this webinar is to review the basics of cleaning and disinfection:

  • The updated burden of HAI’s in Canada
  • Why do we disinfect
  • Best practices in cleaning and disinfection
  • Using the right product
  • Validation technique

This 40 minutes long webinar was originally broadcast on December 15th, 2016. Watch it now on replay for a limited time!

Invitation Free Webinar: Fighting Healthcare Associated Infection with Environmental Hygiene

Rémi Charlebois

webinar-topfree-webinar-left2

I would like to invite you to a free webinar on

Fighting Healthcare Associated Infection with Environmental Hygiene.

I will present this webinar on December 15th, 2016 at 12:00 PM EST. (45 minutes long)

The main objective of this webinar will be to review the basics of cleaning and disinfection :

  • The updated burden of HAI’s in Canada
  • Why do we disinfect
  • Best practices in cleaning and disinfection
  • Using the right product
  • Validation technique

Practical information:

  • The webinar will take place on Thursday, December 15th, 2016 at 12:00 PM EST (Toronto Time)
  • Make sure you have a computer accessible with an internet connection
  • The webinar is 100% free without any engagement
  • We will take question after the webinar

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Safe hand soap: a primer

Rémi Charlebois

hand soapHandwashing is the single most important action to break down the transmission of infection. Anyone working in the food industry, in a lab or in healthcare environment will tell you how often they have to wash their hands. So many products are available, however, it is clear that not all product were created equal. Multiple claims are often written on the bottle confusing users and buyers. A lack of regulation is seen. However, recently the American FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and Health Canada seems to be going toward new regulation in order to increase the safety of hand soaps.

FDA bans Triclosan

The American FDA (Food and Drug Administration) banned the use of Triclosan and 18 other chemicals in consumer hand soap. The decision was based on the lack of information regarding the effectiveness of this product compare to regular handwashing. Also, serious doubt concerning the safety of this product was crucial in the decision process. The debate has been going on for a while before the decision was made.

Health Canada identified risk regarding Methylisothiazolinone

According to Health Canada, the repeated exposure to this substance and its derivatives can generate multiple symptoms including:

  • a red rash or bumps;
  • itching;
  • swelling, burning, or tenderness of the skin;
  • dry, cracked or scaly skin;
  • blisters.

These symptoms may occur each time someone uses a product containing Methylisothiazolinone and its derivatives and may become more severe with repeated use.

Multiple solutions exist

Hopefully, many suppliers offer products without triclosan, paraben, methylisothiazolinone, benzalkonium chloride, polyacrylamide, dioxane, nonylphenol ethoxylated alcohol or any chemicals of concern. Ask you supplier what are the options regarding safe hand soap, it might save you a lot of trouble.

 

Reference:

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm378393.htm

http://canadiensensante.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2016/58290a-fra.php

An Objective Approach to Monitoring Hospital Cleanliness

Rémi Charlebois

ATP-tester-lalema

The days when visual room inspection used to be the gold standard for monitoring hospital cleanliness is long gone. Even though this practice is still useful, better and more objective ways have seen the light. One of the most scientific way is surface cultivation. However, surface cultivation is labor intensive and lacks on the spot results. Invisible UV markers and UV light are also a good way to validate if a place was cleaned. However, its application is limited and the data are not telling more then if a surface was cleaned or not at a given time. ATP testing is becoming more and more useful to verify cleanliness beyond visual inspection.

How does ATP monitoring works?

ATP monitoring is a simple and quick way for hospital to measure residual organic matter on a surface, device or piece of equipment. Adenosine triphosphate or ATP is an organic molecule found in every living or once-living organism. Essentially, the person conducting ATP monitoring swabs the surface of concern, and insert that swab into a handheld unit called a luminometer. Results are available within seconds. Good products will come with a free software that will permit to identify problematic areas, monitor trends and store results. It is a very tool to add to an audit system.

Fast, reliable and quality results

It is important to understand that ATP testing is not a microorganism detection method. ATP testing, is a cleaning verification test. It won’t tell you what’s on the surface, but it will tell you that there is something on the surface. A lot of healthcare professionals see the value that ATP monitoring offers. It empowers auditors, infection prevention staff and environmental services specialist to verify if cleaning was done properly in seconds. The speed at which the results are obtained is very appreciated in healthcare settings. If a result is out of specification, then corrective action can be taken immediately. Infection control staff often witness a direct correlation between low ATP levels and lower healthcare associated infection rates. Remember that environmental contamination is directly linked to up to 40% of healthcare associated infections.

Zika Virus, Where Does It Come From?

Rémi Charlebois
zika-1

Source : NEWSCOM/SIPA

Everything started back in the 40s. A research team in Uganda, lead by Alexander Haddow, was studying the yellow fever virus near Entebbe. In April 1950, the team isolates a new virus from a monkey used as a test animal in the Ziika forest.

The first human clinical case was described in 1954 in Nigeria. Then, in 1956, an experiment was conducted on a volunteer who got infected with the Zika virus through bites of infected mosquitoes. The subject developed a weak fever with a mild skin rash. The symptoms disappeared within a week. No more doubt, the Zika virus can infect human being via a mosquito bite.

The Zika virus was isolated in numerous species of Aedes mosquitoes in Africa and Malaysia. In 2007, the virus was identified in Micronesia, in what was the first large scale epidemic. Since then, the Zika virus has been considered as an emerging virus.

zika-2

Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes

During 2013, an outbreak was raging in French Polynesia. The virus rapidly spread  and was confirmed in the five archipelagos of French Polynesia which count roughly 270,000 inhabitants. Between October 2013 and March 2014, the number of infected persons is estimated at 28,000 individuals. 73 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome were described during this epidemic. The Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare affection that can cause muscle weakness and even paralysis. Sporadic cases of Zika virus disease were described throughout Oceania.

In Brazil, at the start of 2015, an increasing number of patients presenting symptoms similar to the Dengue virus disease were observed. This increase stroke the attention of Brazilian Public Health authorities. An infectious disease specialist evaluated some patients and laboratory results confirmed that the virus was not the Dengue nor the Chikunguya virus. In March 2015, the Zika virus was confirmed by the Carlos Chagas Institute. It was the first time that Zika virus disease was contracted in the Americas.

The virus strain isolated in Brazil is somewhat close to the Asian strains with similarities to the virus isolated in Oceania a few years ago. Some experts believe that the virus was imported into Brazil during the World Championship of pirogue (va’a) that was held in Brazil in August 2014. Four Oceanian countries where the virus is circulating were present at the Championship. To this day, it was estimated that about 1.5 million cases of Zika virus disease occurred in Brazil, which makes it the biggest Zika virus outbreak ever recorded. It is now spreading to other countries where the Aedes mosquitoes are present. The Zika virus is suspected to be linked to microcephaly touching the fœtus of infected mothers. According to the Brazil Health Minister, 4,783 suspects cases of microcephaly were described so far (February 2016). Active research is  ongoing to find if and how can the Zika virus be related to birth defects.

Zika Virus is there a Risk for Surface Contamination?

Rémi Charlebois

zika virus

Zika virus is an arbovirus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. It was discovered in 1947 in a monkey in Uganda. Zika virus is mainly present in Central America and South America but also in Africa and Oceania.

Zika virus, what is it?

With the Zika virus, it is reporteded that nearly 3 out of 4 infections do not present any symptoms. When symptoms occur, it looks like the flu: fever, headache, body aches with rashes, beginning 3-12 days after being bitten by mosquitoes. Zika virus can also manifest as conjunctivitis or pain behind the eyes, as well as swelling of the hands or feet. The disease is not directly fatal.

Why are pregnant women particularly at risk?

If a pregnant woman is infected, she can pass the virus to her baby through the placenta or during birth.

It is suspected that pregnant women infected with the virus could give birth to babies with microcephaly. Babies are born with a head circumference below 33 cm and irreversible mental retardation.

However, there is no fully proven causal link between Zika and microcephaly and because some mothers do not believe they had the virus.

What precautions should you take?

There is no vaccine against the Zika virus. It is recommended to protect yourself against bites by wearing long clothing and using insect repellent and mosquito nets.
According to the official website of the Government of Canada (canadaensante.gc.ca)

No local transmission of Zika virus have been reported in Canada. At present, the mosquitoes that transmit Zika virus are not found in Canada because of the climate. So the likelihood of transmission is very low in the country.

Lassa fever could become a topic of much more serious concern

The media focus on the Zika virus is currently brings shadow on the epidemic of Lassa fever now raging in Nigeria and Benin. Lassa fever is a hemorrhagic fever often compared to the Ebola virus.

Low potential for contamination of surfaces

Zika virus is mainly transmitted through mosquito bites. However, hygiene and safety should follow their normal procedures including disinfection of high potential contamination of surfaces and hand washing.

Press release of the MSSS

On 29 January 2016, the national public health director, Dr. Horacio Arruda, also issued a statement to inform the public about Zika. You can read the detail here

Happy Global Handwashing Day

Rémi Charlebois

 

handwashing

October 15th is a day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing.

Handwashing is easy

Only a small amount of water and soap are necessary to accomplish a small action that provides great benefits. It takes 30 seconds and a bit of hand rubbing.

Handwashing works

Washing hands after using the toilet and before handling food can dramatically reduce the risk of infections such as foodborne infection. This year, handwashing was critical in the prevention of the Ebola virus in West Africa.

Handwashing is for everyone

We always ask children to wash their hands before eating, when they are back from school or after playing in the yard. From toddlers to elderly, handwashing never loses its importance. Infections can be transmitted by anyone to everyone.  In order to protect children or elderly, everyone should wash their hands. After all, it is the most cost-effective public health intervention.

 

For more information see : globalhandwashing.org

MERS-CoV: Practical Tips for Disinfection

Rémi Charlebois

mers-cov

MERS-CoV: Practical Tips for Disinfection

The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is slowly spreading through the Middle East and Asia. Transmission, so far, seems to happen when a close contact with an infected individual occurs. This type of transmission has led to many healthcare associated infections to this day. As an example, a patient that waited for 2.5 days in a Seoul emergency department, end up transmitting the disease to 55 persons.

So far, the case-fatality rate is around 36 %, which is very high. However, this number may not be representative of a normal population and its kill rate is likely to be overestimated. A bias might exist when looking at the population who acquired the virus in Korea. Of the 171 cases, many had underlying medical conditions and have a median age of 55.

Official recommendations

CDC and Health Canada issued a few recommendations on infection control and prevention so far, and more is likely to be available soon. Regardless of their recommendations few data are available on environmental hygiene and disinfection practice regarding MERS-CoV in healthcare settings. Also, the transmission through the environment is not well known for this virus.

How to disinfect?

Regarding disinfection few information are available.  Coronaviruses are non-enveloped virus which makes them more resistant to certain disinfectant. As an example, it is known that a 400 ppm solution of quaternary ammonium compounds is ineffective against those viruses. Sodium hypochlorite at a minimum of 1,000 ppm seems to be sufficient, however a higher concentration would be optimal in healthcare settings. Very few data exist regarding other disinfectant technology.

At this moment, isolation with contact-droplets precaution is advised. In spite of the fact that it was suggested during the SARS outbreak that this type isolation might not be sufficient. Even though these two viruses are similar, we must remember that many differences exist. Thus we must be careful with extrapolation of data.

IPAC Canada 2015 : Thank you

Rémi Charlebois

 

environmental-hygiene-ipac-2015It was a pleasure to chat with some of you about current practice in environmental hygiene regarding infection control.

We hope you liked Ali-Flex RTU, our low odor, non-corrosive, broad spectrum and ready to use disinfectant cleaner. There is a great potential for improvement in the field of environmental hygiene and we are dedicated to it.

We look forward to hearing from you, but in the meantime, with best regards we remain.

The Ali-Flex Team (Manon, John and Remi)

PS If you want to know more about Ali-Flex RTU, visit our main web site.

Stopping it from Getting Viral

Rémi Charlebois

enveloped_virus-Stopping it from Getting Viral

Stopping it from Getting Viral

One disinfecting has to keep in mind what he is trying to get rid of. Disinfectant choice should always consider the microorganism to be eliminated in the environment. Let’s remember what we need to consider when disinfecting a virus contaminated environment.

Virology 101

First, let’s do a quick recap of what is a virus. A virus is a small infectious agent that can only replicate in another organism. This notion is important, it means that a human virus cannot replicate in food or soil. It is specific to its host. Another important notion about viruses is that they can be either enveloped or not enveloped. The envelope is made of a lipidic barrier originating from the cell the virus replicates in. Regardless of the lipidic membrane virus are made of a protein capsid and genetic material which can either be DNA or RNA.

Non-enveloped_virus-Stopping it from Getting Viral

Resistance to disinfectant

Basically, viruses can be divided in two groups regarding their resistance to disinfectant, those are the enveloped and non-enveloped virus. Non-enveloped virus are less susceptible to disinfectant. For example, norovirus or hepatitis A agent are small non-enveloped viruses. They are known to be resistant to environmental stress, such as temperature, UV, low or high humidity levels and disinfectant.

How to disinfect for virus contamination ?

First thing first, if your disinfectant has a virucidal claim on the bottle you are fine. You can also look for specific claims, however the general claim is sufficient has it was proven to be effective on multiple virus. Usually, a minimum of 1,000 ppm of stabilized sodium hypochlorite or 5,000-10,000 ppm of fast acting hydrogen peroxide is good way to make sure virus in the environment are no more of a threat.

IPAC Canada 2015 meeting, what to expect this year ?

Rémi Charlebois

ipac canada 2015 rip-tides-of-changes

Infection prevention and control Canada will hold its annual conference in just a month. This year it will take place in beautiful Victoria, BC. The theme surfing waves of change promise to bring a wind of new approaches and effective solutions to enhance the practice of ICPs. Key opinion leaders and other highly influential speakers will provide a tsunami of information through presentation and multiple discussions. With a special focus on compliance reporting on environmental hygiene and hand hygiene, this conference might inspire a real wave of change.

IPAC Canada 2015

IPAC is also an excellent opportunity to meet with the industry leader in the broad field of infection prevention. Whether you are looking for new environmental hygiene tools, a better software to monitor your antimicrobial stewardship program or hand hygiene audit solutions, key industries will be there. It will also be the perfect occasion to get familiar with the Ali-Flex brand.

Will you be on board  to meet the rip tides of change ? We will! Meet us at booth 72!

#IPACCanada2015 #AliFlex

AIPI 2015 – 37th Science Conference in Victoriaville

Rémi Charlebois
AIPI

Medical team at the hospital looking very happy

Lalema will be at the 37th Science Conference of the Association des Infirmières en prévention des infections. This year’s congress will take place in the beautiful town of Victoriaville.

AIPI Science Conference

The theme this year is: The prevention and infection control – a world without frontiers. Again, the lectures at this congress will be very interesting!

It is also an excellent opportunity to bring together industry and infection control professionals. Therefore, Lalema will be present and look forward to discuss new trends, technologies and new products with you.

We can also answer your questions on the most current environmental hygiene tools.

In short, it is also an excellent opportunity to familiarize yourself with our range of cleaners, disinfectants including the all-star Ali-Flex Series.

FIFO: First In, First Out also applies to disinfectant!

Rémi Charlebois

fifo

First In, First Out (FIFO): also applies to disinfectant!

Some of you may be familiar with the FIFO concept. FIFO is a method for organizing and manipulating goods such as food, it is also used in computer science to organize data. In the food industry, FIFO is essential in order to ensure freshness, preventing foodborne illness and controlling costs.

Can a cleaning product expire?

When it comes to disinfectant the same goes, a fresher or let’s say a newer product is better. I sometimes hear people saying that soap doesn’t expire. Even though the shelf life of soap is way greater than most food items, soaps and other cleaning products do expire. Same goes for disinfectant the active ingredient of a disinfectant whether it is quats, chlorine or peroxide will diminish over time. Hence to ensure a proper disinfection it is important to use product that are not expired. A good way to achieve this is by implementing a FIFO rotation system. By always using the oldest disinfectant that you have in inventory first, you make sure that you won’t get stuck with old and maybe expired stuff!

How to know if a cleaning product is expired?

This is a broad question… For disinfectant it is pretty easy, Health Canada and the EPA requires that all disinfectant have an expiration date on their label. Most cleaning product however does not have an expiration date and the shelf life varies greatly among them. But some signs won’t get you wrong. If the color, the odor, the consistency of the product is changed or if you see a deposit in the product it might be a good sign that the product is expired. In case of doubt, call the manufacturer, with the lot number every good manufacturer will be able to tell you if the product is expired.

Hospitals, here and there

Rémi Charlebois

Hospitals here and there around the world

The saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Let’s see what’s going on on the other side!

Sierra Leone

sierra-leone

Maternity hospital in Sierra Leone. Since 2010, more and more women are choosing to give birth in hospitals.

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/in-west-africa-the-birth-of-a-notion/article4105570/

Taiwan

taiwan

Colors & Hospital seems to be an international concept!

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/in-west-africa-the-birth-of-a-notion/article4105570/

Sudan

soudan-du-sud

Sometimes budgets do not include beds …

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/in-west-africa-the-birth-of-a-notion/article4105570/

Russia

russie

Some Russian hospitals beyond the Urals are still waiting for post-Soviet modernization.

Source: http://www.viralnova.com/awful-russian-hospital/

Poland

pologne

Poland is modernizing its hospitals to override the memories of Soviet rule.

Source: http://polandpoland.com/polish_hospitals.html

United Arab Emirates

dubai

Modern hospitals in Dubai, nothing too good!

Source: http://www.arabianbusiness.com/saudi-german-eyes-q1-launch-for-dubai-hospital-361565.html

US

etats-unis-1024x768

If you have the means, the US private hospitals offer great luxury!

Source: http://imatter.silvercross.org/uncategorized/room-view-2

Quebec

hospitals-quebec-1024x768

Although hospitals are not all young or renovated, we can be proud of the quality of care in our hospitals!

Source: http://imatter.silvercross.org/uncategorized/room-view-2

Hospitals Cleaning Supplies

We have those! www.lalema.com

Don’t be afraid to go micro

Rémi Charlebois

microfiber-cloth

Today it’s undeniable that microfibers are superior to cotton fibers. Although the official recommendation of the Ministry of Health and Social Services privileges the use of microfibers, cotton fibers are still pretty common in disinfecting procedures.

What are the differences between cotton and microfibers?

The difference between microfibers and normal fibers are the size of filaments as well as their structure. You can see their superior effectiveness in the image.
It is in fact for this reason that the Ministry of Health and Social Services recommends the use of microfibers for cleaning in hospitals, as their mechanic cleaning ability is greatly increased.* Up to 90% of microorganisms can be removed from a surface by simply rubbing it with a microfiber cloth.

It is also important to keep in mind that natural fibers such as cotton can decrease the effectiveness of the disinfectant. In fact, quaternary ammoniums may permanently bond with the natural fibers and lose their ability to react on the surface. Although quats of the 4th and 5th generation are much less sensitive to the type of fiber used, it’s still recommended to use synthetic fibers. The same holds for peroxide and oxidant based products such as chlorine; these products may interact with natural fibers. If you don’t have access to synthetic fibers, we strongly suggest not soaking your cotton cloths in the disinfecting solution for too long.

Quality of your microfiber cloth!

Beware of microfibers imitations, certain low quality products won’t have the same mechanical effect on surfaces. Also, low quality microfibers often shrink after washing and are more sensitive to hot water and oxidants. At Lalema, our microfiber cloths are all supplied by first choice suppliers. Although a little bit more expensive, these microfiber cloths are more durable and represent the best choice for quality cleaning.

To learn more about microfibers

Visit the Microfiber section of Lalema’s online catalog
* MESURES D’HYGIÈNE ET DE SALUBRITÉ AU REGARD DU CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE Lignes directrices. MSSS, 2008.

Wipe out gastroenteritis!

Rémi Charlebois

ebola-disinfect-surface

Standard disinfectants are not as effective when facing viruses that cause gastroenteritis.

Approximately 40% of commercial disinfectants that are used to clean surfaces are little or no effective in destroying the norovirus, the virus that causes gastroenteritis. This is what Dr Julie Jean, of the Université de Laval, has found in her recent study.* Her research has demonstrated that bleach-based disinfectants are the most effective in reducing the norovirus from surfaces.

The virus that is responsible of gastroenteritis

The norovirus is the main cause for viral gastro-enteritis in health centers. Moreover, it’s responsible of half of gastro-enteritis breaks originating from food. This virus spreads mainly through direct contact with the infected people, or indirectly through objects, food, or dirty surfaces.

The effectiveness of disinfectants used for cleaning surfaces is therefore crucial to limit the spread of viruses.

The best strategy to prevent gastroenteritis

As a conclusion, the research suggests that the best strategy to limit the spread of the norovirus is to use a disinfectant containing bleach and leave it in contact with the surface for at least five minutes, ideally ten.

The Dallas case rises a question: Should protocols for infection control be revised?

Rémi Charlebois

protocol-ebola

A nurse from the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, where a patient was treated for Ebola, contracted the disease. This is the first case of Ebola transmission in North America. Although the authorities are reassuring, the question arises in hospitals: Are protocols in place really effective?

The nurse in question, Ms. Nina Pham wore protective equipment as directed by the hospital. Indeed, she claims to have followed protocol at all times and she is unable to identify how she could have contracted the virus. It is assumed that methods of environmental control were in place so the room was disinfected daily with sodium hypochlorite as prescribed.

A breach of protocol?

The director of the CDC (Center for Disease Control), Dr. Thomas R. Frieden believes that treatment protocols were not followed to the letter “Clearly there was a breach in protocol. We have the ability to prevent the spread of Ebola by caring safely for patients.”

CDCs are investigating in order to identify how Ms. Pham may have acquired the infection. Protocols are of course being examined. They would be sufficient to protect healthcare workers from infection by the virus if followed properly. Nevertheless, removing the protective equipment is always pointed out as a critical step. In Europe, another investigation is under way to understand how a Spanish nurse found herself in the same situation.

No reported case in Quebec, yet

The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux in collaboration with the Institut nationale de santé publique du Québec has issued recommendations in case of an outbreak. It is important that each healthcare center that can receive a potentially infectious patient put in place appropriate precautionary measures. Thus, it is important to have the required equipment for this type of care.

At Lalema, we can help you by providing all the necessary protective equipment and disinfectant ! For any special needs, please contact us.

A virus transmitted from computers to humans

Rémi Charlebois

virus-norwalk-norovirus

Virus on my keyboard, really?

Did you know that your keyboard and mouse are covered with bacteria and viruses? This may sound obvious when we think about it. Using computers is very common and the risk to be infected seems banal. However, in certain environments such as hospitals this contamination could reveal critical.

In fact, many bacteria and virus breaks have been associated with computers. It’s the case for a hospital in Great Britain, where a study revealed that 42% of tested keyboards were contaminated with the MRSA bacteria, which was directly related to higher MRSA infections as compared to other hospitals where keyboard contamination was lower (1). Another study carried out in Great Britain found that keyboards had been a breeding-ground for the norovirus, which then lead to a break of gastro-enteritis. A virus transmitted from computers to humans… who would’ve thought about that!

Don’t panic, solutions exist!

First and unforgettable is hand washing. In order to limit bacteria and virus spreads, hand washing is essential. Then, to avoid washing our hands every time we use a computer, an alcohol-based antiseptic liquid would do the trick. If our hands are dirty, washing hands before touching the keyboard is also recommended. Finally, it is wise to disinfect your keyboard and mouse from time to time. A renowned researcher named William Rutala, or Bill for his friends, has demonstrated that computer keyboards do not seem to deteriorate after being cleaned 300 times with different disinfectant solutions.

Long story short, we often forget daily objects as being a breeding-ground for viruses and bacteria. For example, mobile phones are often neglected as well despite the fact that we touch them and constantly put them on our face.

But no need to become hypochondriac, it’s enough to follow basic preventive measures. In other words, make little changes and set frequent disinfections based on the risk associated with your environment.

 

(1). Devine J., Is methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) contamination of ward-based computer terminals a surrogate marker for nosocomial MRSA transmission and handwashing compliance? J Hosp Infect. 2001;48:72-5

(2). Morter S., et coll. Norovirus in the hospital setting: virus introduction and spread within the hospital environment. J. Hosp Infect. 2011 Feb;77(2):106-12

Ebola virus, Are we Ready?

Rémi Charlebois

ebola virus

We recently learned that Senegal has been hit by the Ebola epidemic outbreak in Africa. This makes Senegal the sixth country affected by the epidemic. The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta (CDC), said that the epidemic has a high chance of degenerating and that the outbreak may quickly spread outside Africa1. Appealing for international aid, the scientific community is now seeing the epidemic on the verge of becoming an unprecedented pandemic.

Are we ready to deal with a global pandemic of Ebola?

Western public health agencies are meant reassuring. Our hospitals are better equipped to deal with potential cases. The Quebec ministry of health issued a policy of transparency and now discloses suspected cases in Quebec on ​​its web site.

What to do to prevent the spread of Ebola virus in your institute?

Quebec Hospitals can refer to the official guide written by l’Institut national de santé publique du Québec. This fact sheet sets out the recommendations of the Comité sur les infections nosocomiales du Québec (CINQ) for Ebola virus disease prevention and control measures for Quebec hospitals. This document may be found here.

  • Use a 5% bleach solution (sodium hypochlorite) with a concentration of 5000 ppm to disinfect surfaces or objects contaminated by blood or other body fluids.
  • Use a 5000 ppm chlorine solution for the final disinfection.

Disinfection is, therefore, more than ever critical for limiting the spread of infection. The quality of the product is critical. Ebola is generally considered the world’s most dangerous viruses. Might as well use the best disinfectant!

1. http://www.healio.com/infectious-disease/emerging-diseases/news/online/%7Bbb2c88ec-5c61-491e-8e94-c726cc1e795b%7D/cdc-ebola-case-numbers-likely-to-increase-significantly

Ebola, How to disinfect surfaces

Rémi Charlebois

ebola-disinfect-surface-ali-flex-rtu

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is slowly becoming an epidemic that is spreading beyond Africa. Although the risk of transmission is relatively low, it is the largest ever recorded outbreak of Ebola. WHO, CDC and other NGOs have declared a state of emergency and fight tirelessly to limit the outbreak.

Importance of hygiene when it comes to Ebola

The debate today is polarized on the ethical use of experimental drugs. However, few media state of the propagation modes and the importance of hygiene against this virus. Although transmission is being achieved mainly by direct contact between two people, contaminated objects and surfaces can present a risk that is hard to assessed. Thus, the CDC and WHO suggest that objects in direct contact with the patient must be decontaminated properly and that medical or objects contaminated with body fluids must be incinerated.

Stabilized Sodium Hypochlorite

All well and good, but what product can be used to disinfect appropriately? Ebola Virus Outbreak Guidelines written by members of the Ministry of Public Health of Gabon suggest the use of sodium hypochlorite.

We do not always know the microbial threats we face, but if in doubt use a disinfectant caliber is required.