Impact of sink design on bacterial transmission from hospital sink drains to the surrounding sink environment tested using a fluorescent marker

In hospitals, sinks act as reservoirs for bacterial pathogens. To assess the extent of splashing, fluorescein dye was added to four hospital sinks previously involved in pathogen dispersal to the environment and/or transmission to patients, and one sink that was not. Applying dye to the p-trap or tailpiece did not result in any fluorescent droplets outside of the drain. When applied to the drain, droplets were found in all but one wash basin, and this was more common in the absence of a drain plug. Sink design considerations to install drain plugs, reduce dripping and offset the tap may help to prevent transmission from drains. (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Healthcare Infection Society. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Automated summary

In hospitals, sinks act as reservoirs for bacterial pathogens. A study found that when fluorescein dye was applied to the drain of hospital sinks, droplets were found in almost all wash basins, especially in those without a drain plug. Sink design considerations such as installing drain plugs, reducing dripping, and adjusting the tap position can help prevent pathogen transmission from sinks.