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Updated: Sep 9, 2025

Author Spotlight: Microbial Control and Monitoring Strategies for Cleanroom Environments and Cellular Therapies
Published on: March 17, 2023
Cleaning and disinfection in neonatal intensive care units: correlation of evaluation methods
Maria Heloisa Silva1, Aires Garcia Dos Santos Junior1, André Luiz Silva Alvim2
1Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul. Três Lagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
Objectives:
to correlate surface cleaning and disinfection monitoring methods in two neonatal intensive care units and compare threshold values for adenosine triphosphate.
Methods:
a correlational study with 864 assessments was conducted using adenosine triphosphate quantification, visual inspection, aerobic colony count, Staphylococcus aureus detection, and resistance testing before and after hygiene procedures.
Results:
in Unit A, correlations were found between colony count and Staphylococcus aureus on the counter (phase I; P=0.031) and between adenosine triphosphate and colony count in the incubator (phase II; P=0.001). In Unit B, a correlation was observed between adenosine triphosphate and colony count on the infusion pump (phase I; P=0.045). Threshold values for adenosine triphosphate were lower than 28 relative light units in Unit A and equal to or lower than 38 in Unit B.
Conclusions:
variations were observed in the correlations and threshold values for adenosine triphosphate between the analyzed units.
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