Infection control implications of the laundering of ambulance staff uniforms and reusable mops.
There is a lack of published studies on laundering in ambulance services. We performed bacterial culture on soiled and unsoiled uniforms and reusable mop heads artificially contaminated with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Clostridium difficile spores. Current laundering processes used for routine cleans in the ambulances appears, from our simulations, to be effective at reducing vegetative pathogenic bacteria to undetectable levels, <3.398log10colony-forming units (S. aureus and E. coli). Reduced levels of C. difficile were still detected after laundering but the risk this poses for infection is unknown, as background levels of these spores in the environment are unknown.
Institute of Healthcare Policy and Practice, School of Health, Nursing and Midwifery, University of the West of Scotland and University Hospital Crosshouse, UK. Electronic address: w.mackay@uws.ac.uk.
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Mackay
Department of Microbiology, Monklands District General Hospital, Airdrie, UK.
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Whitehead
Scottish Ambulance Service, Edinburgh, UK.
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Purdue
Institute of Healthcare Policy and Practice, School of Health, Nursing and Midwifery, University of the West of Scotland and University Hospital Crosshouse, UK.
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Smith
National Services Scotland, Glasgow, UK.
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Redhead
Institute of Healthcare Policy and Practice, School of Health, Nursing and Midwifery, University of the West of Scotland and University Hospital Crosshouse, UK.
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Williams
Scottish Ambulance Service, Edinburgh, UK.
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Wilson
D000552:Ambulances; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003020:Clothing / Q000592:standards / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology; D003666:Decontamination / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004203:Disinfection / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017743:Equipment Reuse / Q000592:standards*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007846:Laundering / Q000592:standards*; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D000078329:Workforce
Ambulance; Cleaning; Decontamination; Disinfection