Fluorescent tagging for environmental surface cleaning surveillance in a veterinary hospital

To evaluate the use of fluorescent tagging for environmental surface cleaning surveillance in a small animal veterinary hospital and identify factors associated with tag removal.

Over 5.5 weeks, a commercial fluorescent dye (Glo Germ) was used to tag (mark) surfaces in a small animal veterinary teaching hospital. Twenty-four hours after tagging, cleaning was assessed with a black light (UV-A source). Surfaces were recorded as cleaned based on complete removal of fluorescent tagging at assessment. Proportions cleaned were calculated overall and by predictors (i.e. surface location/type, primary nature of surface contact - animal/human, week of study).

A total of 4984 surfaces were tagged and assessed. Overall cleaning was 50%. Cleaning varied by surface/object (range: 2 to 100%) and hospital location (4 to 78%). Surfaces designated as having primarily animal contact were cleaned more frequently than those with primarily human contact (75%, 42%; P<0.001). Cleaning varied over the study period (range by week: 45 to 54%;); a significant trend was not identified.

Key surfaces in the small animal veterinary practice environment are unlikely to be adequately cleaned, posing a concern for animal and human health. Commercial products can be effectively used to asses environmental cleaning with findings used to target clinic-specific barriers to improve cleaning and reduce hospital-associated infections.