Best, EL, Parnell, P and Wilcox, MH orcid.org/0000-0002-4565-2868 (2017) The potential of alcohol release doorplates to reduce surface contamination during hand contact. Journal of Hospital Infection, 97 (4). pp. 424-429. ISSN 0195-6701
Abstract
Background: Optimal hand hygiene may be compromised by contact with contaminated environmental surfaces.
Aim: To investigate the in-vitro efficacy of a novel alcohol-release doorplate to reduce surface contamination during hand contact.
Methods: Prototype, horizontally held, Surfaceskins, alcohol gel-impregnated and control (aluminium) doorplates were challenged (N = 72 per micro-organism) with Staphylococcus aureus-, Eschericia coli-, Enterococcus faecalis-, or Clostridium difficile-contaminated fingers. S. aureus and E. faecalis were used for challenges (90 per micro-organism) of vertical (modified design) doorplates, on days 0, 3, 4, 6, and 7. Surface contamination was measured pre and immediately post challenges using agar contact plates.
Findings: Horizontal test, but not control, doorplates demonstrated bacterial killing of S. aureus, E. faecalis and E. coli, but not of C. difficile; hence, only testing of S. aureus and E. faecalis was continued. Vertical Surfaceskins, but not control, doorplates demonstrated rapid killing of S. aureus over seven days. There were significant reductions (>90% up to day 6; P ≤ 0.01) of surface bacterial colony counts compared with controls immediately post challenge. There were also significant reductions in Surfaceskins doorplate enterococcal colony counts compared with controls on every day of testing (P ≤ 0.004). There was no evidence that bacterial recovery was greater from the tops of Surfaceskins doorplates (i.e. due to pooling of contents).
Conclusion: Surfaceskins doorplates were efficient at reducing surface contamination by S. aureus, E. faecalis, and E. coli. Reducing microbial contamination of frequently touched door surfaces, and so bacterial transfer via hands, could feasibly reduce the risk of healthcare-associated and other infections.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Journal of Hospital Infection. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Alcohol gel; Doorplate; Healthcare; Contamination; Surfaces |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > Institute of Molecular Medicine (LIMM) (Leeds) > Section of Molecular Gastroenterology (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 31 Jul 2017 15:37 |
Last Modified: | 29 Jul 2018 00:38 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.jhin.2017.07.027 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:119674 |