Journal
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INFECTION CONTROL
Volume 42, Issue 4, Pages 366-370Publisher
MOSBY-ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2013.11.013
Keywords
Disposable privacy curtains; Intensive care unit; Nanoparticle silver; Cost analysis; Sporicidal
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Background: The environment is a well-known source of health care-acquired infection. Because of the known risk of contamination, patient privacy curtains require frequent changes to decrease the risk of spread from patients to curtain and visa versa. Methods: Fourteen disposable sporicidal privacy curtains were tested from December 2012 to June 2013 while hanging in a busy intensive care unit. Significant bacterial pathogens were identified and total bacteria enumerated as colony-forming units. Antimicrobial activity of curtain swatches was also tested against a range of bacteria in the laboratory. Measurements were recorded as zone of inhibition and contact inhibition. A cost analysis to replace standard curtains with disposable sporicidal curtains was also undertaken. Results: Cultures grew low numbers of skin and environmental microorganisms with no methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or Clostridium difficile detected. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci were recovered in very low numbers from 2 curtains where vancomycin-resistant enterococci-infected patients had been located. Privacy curtains demonstrated antimicrobial activity against C difficile and 13 additional bacterial pathogens. Conclusion: We conclude that disposable sporicidal privacy curtains are cost-effective and best replaced at 6 months in a high-risk area such as an intensive care unit. Copyright (C) 2014 by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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