A splash-reducing clinical handwash basin reduces droplet-mediated dispersal from a sink contaminated with Gram-negative bacteria in a laboratory model system.

Infection prevention strategies need to be identified and evaluated to reduce the risk associated with contaminated hospital sinks. This study used settle plates to compare the dispersal of Gram-negative bacteria from a conventional, rear-draining clinical handwash basin (CHWB) and a 'splash-reducing' CHWB with and/or without impaired drainage. Two scenarios were assessed: dispersal from a contaminated basin and dispersal from a contaminated drain. The associated tap was operated for 1 min and, for all contamination scenarios, the 'splash-reducing' CHWB had significantly lower odds of spreading contamination than the conventional CHWB. Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Citation

P Aranega-Bou, C Cornbill, N Q Verlander, G Moore. A splash-reducing clinical handwash basin reduces droplet-mediated dispersal from a sink contaminated with Gram-negative bacteria in a laboratory model system. The Journal of hospital infection. 2021 Aug;114:171-174

Mesh Tags

PMID: 33895165

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