title: Routine monitoring of adenovirus and norovirus within the health care environment.
abstract: This study investigated the presence of adenovirus and norovirus on ward surfaces using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to assist in the development of evidence-based infection control policy. Screening was carried out weekly for 6 months in the common areas of 2 pediatric wards. Additionally, a one-off screening was undertaken for adenovirus and norovirus on a day unit and for adenovirus only in patient cubicles while occupied. Over the 6-month screening of common areas, 2.4% of samples were positive for adenovirus or norovirus. In rooms occupied with adenovirus-infected children, all cubicle screening sites and almost all swabs were contaminated with adenovirus. In the day unit, 13% of samples were positive. Cleaning and environmental interaction strategies must therefore be designed to control nosocomial transmission of viruses outside of outbreak scenarios.
authors.affiliation: CEGE, Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pankhurst
authors.affiliation: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children National Health Service Foundation Trust, Cameliar Botnar Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Prevention and Control, London, UK. Electronic address: Elaine.Cloutman-Green@gosh.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cloutman-Green
authors.affiliation: CEGE, Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Melisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Canales
authors.affiliation: CEGE, Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nikki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: D'Arcy
authors.affiliation: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children National Health Service Foundation Trust, Cameliar Botnar Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Prevention and Control, London, UK.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hartley
mesh_terms: D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006268:Health Facilities; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D029322:Norovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
keywords: Adenovirus; Health care environment; Health care–associated infection; Hematology and oncology; Norovirus; Pediatrics