publications – hygiene in practice

Jun 19, 2020

Study Within the hospital: Which surfaces may be contaminated with SARS-CoV-2?

During the peak phase of the coronavirus epidemic in China, scientists in a 3,300-bed hospital in Wuhan investigated the surfaces and objects on which the novel SARS-CoV-2 can be found. Researchers took surface swabs in different risk zones and evaluated the distribution of the contamination in percentage terms. The investigations took place at a time when extensive disinfection measures had already been installed and the personnel were also already aware of the risk of transmission.

May 28, 2020

News Phage therapy: Using predator viruses to destroy multidrug resistant bacteria

The number of patients killed by multiple drug resistant (MDR) bacteria is rising every year as antibiotics are losing their effectiveness. Phages - which were used before the advent of antibiotics and then forgotten in the Western world for almost a century - are rapidly becoming one of the most promising alternatives to antibiotics.

Apr 07, 2020

News Study of intensive care units: Hand hygiene also important for patients

Hand hygiene can save lives. What is second nature for medical staff today could one day also become a habit for patients and their relatives – because clean, germ-free hands can prevent nosocomial infections. Researchers in the US have examined the hands of intensive care patients for relevant pathogens. Among the pathogens detected, several multi-resistant organisms were identified.

Mar 27, 2020

News Alcohol-based hand disinfection and alcohols successfully inactivate SARS-CoV-2

An international team of researchers pre-published evidence which shows for the first time that two alcohol-based hand disinfectants recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) – as well as the active ingredients ethanol and 2-propanol alone – are effective against the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The experts are creating security for healthcare systems worldwide, because their experiments show that alcohol-based hand disinfection is an effective infection protection measure against COVID-19.

Jan 30, 2020

News Social and communicative: Myxococcus xanthus is 2020's microbe of the year

They communicate with each other, rotate in groups and hunt in packs. This description sounds like large predators such as lions or wolves but it's actually referring to 2020's microbe of the year: the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus. This annual 'award' is selected by the Association for Germany's General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM), with about 3,500 member microbiologists.

Jan 14, 2020

News Using sniffer dogs to detect C. difficile in hospitals

With their keen sense of smell, scent detection dogs are hunting down the bacterium Clostridioides difficile in hospitals. But how accurate are four-legged infection prevention and diagnostics? Recent studies investigate how well canines perform.

Dec 17, 2019

News Infection control at Christmas: Have a Hygienic Holiday

“Deck the halls with rows of trolleys” is just one headline of many reports with the same conclusion: Emergency departments world-wide are busiest over long holidays. Anecdotally, the theories as to why include over-indulgences, crowded celebrations leading to germ-sharing or the merger of cold weather and the flu season. As another major holiday period approaches, both medical practitioners and patients should think about prevention: What is it they can do to avoid, or lessen the effects of, holiday-time illnesses? What are effective measures for infection control at Christmas? Here are our four ideas for the holiday season:

Dec 16, 2019

Study Infection control: Using big data analytics to estimate the efficacy of hygiene interventions

As the use of digitalisation increases, collecting and analysing big data sets can greatly contribute to improving patient safety. Mathematical models can be of great value for estimating how effective hygiene measures are in reducing infection risk. A recent study estimates the effect of combined infection control interventions on virus concentration on the hands of medical staff.

Dec 05, 2019

News Continued success in the international fight against polio

The second out of three wild poliovirus strains has been eradicated. This was officially declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) on World Polio Day on 24 October. Since efforts to exterminate polio began in 1988, incidence has fallen by 99 per cent. According to WHO, today 18 million people can walk who would otherwise be paralysed.

Nov 19, 2019

News Bacteria in hospital sinks: the plumbing that can sicken

Sink design may be an underestimated factor regarding the incidence of bacterial infections, particularly in clinical settings. A new UK study sheds light on how bacteria in hospital sinks can grow and spread. The findings also highlight the importance of hygiene measures and awareness amongst medical professionals.

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