[Performing surface and room disinfection in the hospital]

At a Berlin university hospital the regulations governing area disinfection were rendered mandatory for disinfectors by a service ordinance. The primary consideration, besides general hygienic aims, concerned the possibility of transmitting infections in the hospital. Classification into four degrees of infection or contamination led to an almost uniform type of disinfection measures, dominated by "wipe" disinfection using concentrations recommended by the German Association for Hygiene and Microbiology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie = DGHM) (the four degrees of infection being: I: no nosocomial infectious diseases, II: nosocomial infectious diseases, III: diseases that can be transmitted and are subject to mandatory reporting, IV: highly contagious diseases that can be transmitted on airborne basis and are subject to mandatory reporting). Room disinfection via evaporation or smoke screen with formaldehyde is now performed only in conjunction with degree No. IV listed above. Area disinfection methods under dispute, such as routine room disinfection or as a prophylactic measure, were discontinued for medico-toxicological and environmental hygiene reasons. The considerations and discussions resulting from the concept of area disinfection resulted in abolishing inadequately indicated disinfection measures at the university hospital.