Evaluating a new paradigm for comparing surface disinfection in clinical practice

Area of Science:

• Healthcare-associated infection control
• Environmental hygiene
• Microbiology

Background:

• Near-patient surfaces are crucial in healthcare-associated pathogen transmission.
• Defining the clinical effectiveness of disinfection interventions is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical effectiveness of a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) and a novel peracetic acid/hydrogen peroxide disinfectant (ND).
• To evaluate disinfection interventions in terminal room cleaning.

Main Methods:

• A serial 2-phase evaluation in a general acute care hospital.
• Quantified bioburden reduction using a unique system, monitoring cleaning thoroughness.
• Compared QAC with a novel disinfectant (ND).

Main Results:

• The novel disinfectant (ND) removed aerobic bioburden from 77% of surfaces, compared to 40% with QAC.
• Cleaning thoroughness was similar for both disinfectants (65.3% vs. 66.4%).
• The significant difference in bioburden reduction was attributed to the ND's superior cleaning efficacy.

Conclusions:

• The novel disinfectant (ND) was 1.93 times more effective than QAC in reducing bacterial burden.
• The study presents a new research paradigm for objectively comparing disinfection interventions by analyzing product and process variables.