Lack of enhanced effect of a chlorine dioxide-based cleaning regimen on environmental contamination with Clostridium difficile spores.
Spores of Clostridium difficile may play a significant role in transmission of disease within the healthcare environment and are resistant to a variety of detergents and cleaning fluids. A range of environmental cleaning agents has recently become available, many of which claim to be sporicidal. We investigated the effect of changing to a chlorine dioxide-based cleaning regimen on C. difficile environmental contamination and patient infection rates. The prevalence of environmental contamination was unaffected with a rate of 8% (9/120) before and 8% (17/212) following the change. Rates of patient infection were also unchanged during these periods.
Centre for Clinical Infection and Diagnostic Research, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College, London, UK. simon.goldenberg@gstt.nhs.uk
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SD
Goldenberg
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A
Patel
D
D
Tucker
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French
D017606:Chlorine Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006797:Housekeeping, Hospital / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D010087:Oxides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D017606:Chlorine Compounds; D004202:Disinfectants; D010087:Oxides; C025109:chlorine dioxide