Bio-Kil, a nano-based disinfectant, reduces environmental bacterial burden and multidrug-resistant organisms in intensive care units.
OBJECTIVE
This prospective before-after study was intended to investigate the effect of Bio-Kil on reducing environmental bacterial burden and healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in intensive care units (ICUs) at the Municipal Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan in 2014.


METHODS
Four rooms in the medical and surgical ICUs were investigated and designated as study rooms (n = 2) or control rooms (n = 2). Routine disinfection was performed during the pre-intervention period in both room types. Bio-Kil was applied to the fomites and surroundings of the study rooms during the intervention period. Total bacterial burden and proportion of colonization of fomites and surroundings by multidrug-resistance organisms (MDROs) were determined before and after the intervention. The demographic characteristics, underlying conditions, and clinical outcomes of patients were analyzed.


RESULTS
After application of Bio-Kil, the bacterial burden declined in both groups, although the reduction was greater in the study rooms as compared with the control rooms (p = 0.001). During the pre-intervention period, 16 patients were admitted to control rooms and 18 patients to study rooms. After the intervention, 22 patients were admitted to control rooms and 21 patients to study rooms. The number of cases of new-onset sepsis declined in the intervention group (from 33% to 23.8%), but increased in the control group (from 25% to 40.9%); however, there was no significant difference in incidence of new-onset sepsis between the study and control rooms after intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
Application of Bio-Kil reduced the environmental bacterial burden and MDROs in ICUs. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of this nanotechnology-based disinfectant in reducing HAIs.
Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Medical Center and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wen-Sen
WS
Lee
Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Medical Center and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Tai-Chin
TC
Hsieh
Department of Biology, Eberly College of Science, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA.
Justine C
JC
Shiau
Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Medical Center and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Tsong-Yih
TY
Ou
Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Medical Center and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Fu-Lun
FL
Chen
Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Wan Fang Medical Center and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yu-Hsin
YH
Liu
Division of Infectious Disease, Taipei City Hospital and National Yang-Ming University, School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: myyen1121@gmail.com.
Muh-Yong
MY
Yen
Departments of Laboratory Medicine and Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: hsporen@ntu.edu.tw.
Po-Ren
PR
Hsueh
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004203:Disinfection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology; D013624:Taiwan
D004202:Disinfectants
Bio-Kil; environmental decontamination; healthcare-associated infections; multidrug-resistant organisms