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  • #69483
    Fiona de Sousa
    Participant

    Author:
    Fiona de Sousa

    Email:
    Fiona.DeSousa@SAH.ORG.AU

    Organisation:

    State:

    Hi List members,

    At our facility we have carpeted patient care areas. We are currently reviewing how this carpet should best be cleaned on a routine basis and after caring for a patient on transmission based precautions. I would appreciate hearing from other facilities who face this challenge to hear how they have addressed this problem.

    I know that carpets in healthcare are a sensitive issue and I am happy for people to contact me off line if they prefer.
    Kind regards,
    Fiona De Sousa
    Infection Prevention & Control Coordinator
    Sydney Adventist Hospital
    Fiona.Desousa@sah.org.au
    185 Fox Valley Road, Wahroonga, NSW, 2076

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    #69488
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Author:
    Anonymous

    Organisation:

    State:

    At our facility we have 2 acute rooms left with carpet after removing it
    from the rest of our acute rooms, due to the problem of cleaning on a
    daily basis. The 2 rooms are kept for mental health patients, but of
    course when we get full and need to isolate a patient, these rooms are
    used.

    The carpet must be shampooed following a patient on additional
    precautions, and must be left to dry before admitting the next patient.
    This is the best we can do.

    We are currently on a crusade to have the carpet removed from the
    corridors and nurses station as well as these 2 rooms, as day to day
    vacuuming just doesn’t keep these high wear areas clean enough, as well
    as issues with dust allergies, etc.

    wash, wipe, cover, don’t infect another

    Sandi Millington

    Northern and Remote Country Health Service (NRCHS)

    CN Infection Control Geraldton Hospital.

    Midwest Region

    Northern and Remote Country Health Service

    Shenton St| Geraldton WA 6530

    PO Box 22| Geraldton WA xxx

    P (08) 99562437 | F (08) 99562342

    Working together for a healthier country WA

    Our Values: Community | Compassion | Quality | Integrity | Justice

    ________________________________

    Behalf Of Fiona de Sousa

    Hi List members,

    At our facility we have carpeted patient care areas. We are currently
    reviewing how this carpet should best be cleaned on a routine basis and
    after caring for a patient on transmission based precautions. I would
    appreciate hearing from other facilities who face this challenge to hear
    how they have addressed this problem.

    I know that carpets in healthcare are a sensitive issue and I am happy
    for people to contact me off line if they prefer.

    Kind regards,

    Fiona De Sousa

    Infection Prevention & Control Coordinator

    Sydney Adventist Hospital

    Fiona.Desousa@sah.org.au

    185 Fox Valley Road, Wahroonga, NSW, 2076

    information intended for the addressee named above.
    If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any
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    is prohibited. If you have received this message in error please notify
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    sender, except where the sender is specifically authorised
    by Sydney Adventist Hospital to state that they are the views of Sydney
    Adventist Hospital.
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    #69494
    Glenys Harrington
    Participant

    Author:
    Glenys Harrington

    Email:
    infexion@ozemail.com.au

    Organisation:
    Infection Control Consultancy (ICC)

    State:

    Hi Fiona,

    Find attached the following:

    a) Recommendations from CDC – Guidelines for Environmental Infection
    Control in Health-Care Facilities, June 6, 2003 / 52(RR10);1-42 and

    http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/pdf/guidelines/eic_in_HCF_03.pdf

    b) Further discussion on page 78 79 Carpets and Floor coverings

    c) A summary of some of the literature on carpets on HCF that I have
    collected over the years ago which may be of use/interest.

    GUIDELINES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INFECTION CONTROL IN HEALTH-CARE FACILITIES,
    JUNE 6, 2003 / 52(RR10);1-42

    Environmental Surfaces in Health-Care Facilities – III. Carpeting and Cloth
    Furnishings

    A.Vacuum carpeting in public areas of health-care facilities and in
    general patient-care areas regularly with well-maintained equipment designed
    to minimize dust dispersion (280). Category II
    B.Periodically perform a thorough, deep cleaning of carpeting as
    determined by facility policy by using a method that minimizes the
    production of aerosols and leaves little or no residue (44). Category II
    C.Avoid use of carpeting in high-traffic zones in patient-care areas
    or where spills are likely (e.g., burn therapy units, operating rooms,
    laboratories, or intensive care units) (44,305,306). Category IB
    D.Follow appropriate procedures for managing spills on carpeting.
    1. Spot-clean blood or body substance spills promptly (293,301,304,307).
    Category IC (OSHA: 29 CFR 1910.1030 d.4.ii.A, interpretation)
    2. If a spill occurs on carpet tiles, replace any tiles contaminated by
    blood and body fluids or body substances (307). Category IC (OSHA 29 CFR
    1910.1030 d.4.ii interpretation)
    E.Thoroughly dry wet carpeting to prevent the growth of fungi; replace
    carpeting that remains wet after 72 hours (37
    ,160). Category IB
    F.No recommendation is offered regarding the routine use of fungicidal
    or bactericidal treatments for carpeting in public areas of a health-care
    facility or in general patient-care areas. Unresolved issue
    G.Do not use carpeting in hallways and patient rooms in areas housing
    immunosuppressed patients (e.g., PE areas) (37
    ,44). Category IB

    LITERATURE – CARPETING IN HOSPITALS

    A. CARPETING IN HOSPITALS AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVALUATION

    1) Carpets contain much higher levels of microbial contamination
    (approx 105bacteria per square inch) than hard surfaces (approx 102
    bacteria per square inch).

    2) Patients in carpeted room (but not the non-carpeted room) were
    colonised with the same type of organisms that contaminate the carpet.

    3) There was no association between hospital acquired infection and
    carpet contamination.

    4) Members of the family Enterobacteriaceae (Enterobacter Spp., K
    pneumoniae and E coli) were more frequently isolated from carpet material
    than from bare flooring. These varying levels of contamination
    probably resulted

    from differences in floor-cleaning procedures.

    Conclusion:

    Because carpets are easily contaminated, costly to clean, difficult to
    disinfect and do not dry as quickly as bare floors it may be wise not to
    use carpets in the following areas:- intensive care units (except cardiac),
    nurseries, paediatric patient care rooms, isolation rooms, operating room,
    kitchens, laboratories, autopsy rooms, bathroom and utility rooms.

    Evaluation. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, Vol 15, 1982:408-415.

    B. HOSPITAL CARPETING AND EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE

    A bacteriophage-bacteriocin typing system was used to determine the possible
    significance of environmental contamination.

    The relationship between the prevalence of pseudomembranous enterocolitis
    (PME) and room carpeting was studied.

    Conclusion:

    1) This study did not document acquisition of Clostridium difficile
    from the hospital environment in a nonepidemic setting of PME.

    2) Carpeted rooms were contaminated significantly more heavily and
    for longer periods with clinical strains of Clostridium difficile than
    non-carpeted rooms.

    3) There was no evidence that environmental contamination resulted
    in an increased frequency of occurrence of PME in patients housed in
    carpeted rooms.

    4) Because acquisition of Clostridium difficile from the environment
    in nonepidemic settings is possible and there is evidence of exogenous
    acquisition during epidemic outbreaks, carpet should be considered as a
    potential

    reservoir of this organism.

    John P Phair. American Journal of Infection Control . August 1994. Volume
    22, Number 4. Pages 212-217.

    C. PREVENTION AND CONTROL NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS

    Prospective studies have not linked an increase in infection rates to use
    of carpets in hospitals. Nevertheless because data have shown that carpets
    contain much higher levels of microbial contamination than do hard surfaces
    and are more costly and difficult to clean, it may be judicious not to use
    carpets in the intensive care unit or other locations where severely ill
    patients are located and heavy soiling occurs.

    – 489.

    D. ASPERGILLOSIS DUE TO CARPET CONTAMINATION

    During a 9 month period in a 22 bed inpatient bone marrow
    transplant/oncology unit with Hepa filtered air system (12 to 15 air
    exchanges per hour) and hallway carpeted that was impregnated with a
    fungistatic/bacteriostatic agent ( a durable quaternary amine complex)
    there were 13 cases of Aspergillus infection, 10 had pulmonary infections,
    one each had skin, bone and sinus infections. Eight of the 13 patients
    survived, all who died had a relapsed or treatment resistant malignancy.

    The carpet was identified as the source of infection and contamination was
    thought to have occurred following a fire in a nearby building during which
    time a patient was known to be repeatedly opening the window of his room.

    No antimicrobial activity was detected in the carpet due to large amounts of
    dirt, debris, wax and soap buildup. The carpet was being cleaned weekly
    during the period of outbreak.

    It was speculated that the residual soap served to block the inorganic
    bacterostatic compound in the base of the carpet from wicking up to the top
    fibres and that this was the reason there was no antimicrobial activity
    detected.

    After consultation with the manufacturer weekly water extraction of the
    carpet was undertaken. Following this less debris was noted and
    bacteriostatic/fungistatic activity was detected within the carpet.

    After institution of the water extraction method of carpet cleaning the rate
    of Aspergillus species infections on the transplant/leukemia service again
    fell to the level seen prior to the epidemic.

    Reserve University School of Medicine Cleveland, Ohio. Aspergillosis Due to
    Carpet Contamination. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology Vol
    15.No4:221-223

    Regards

    Glenys

    Glenys Harrington

    Consultant

    Infection Control Consultancy (ICC)

    PO Box 5202

    Middle Park

    Victoria, 3206

    Australia

    H: +61 3 96902216

    M: +61 404 816 434

    infexion@ozemail.com.au

    ABN 47533508426

    Of Fiona de Sousa

    Hi List members,

    At our facility we have carpeted patient care areas. We are currently
    reviewing how this carpet should best be cleaned on a routine basis and
    after caring for a patient on transmission based precautions. I would
    appreciate hearing from other facilities who face this challenge to hear how
    they have addressed this problem.

    I know that carpets in healthcare are a sensitive issue and I am happy for
    people to contact me off line if they prefer.

    Kind regards,

    Fiona De Sousa

    Infection Prevention & Control Coordinator

    Sydney Adventist Hospital

    Fiona.Desousa@sah.org.au

    185 Fox Valley Road, Wahroonga, NSW, 2076

    information intended for the addressee named above.
    If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any
    dissemination, distribution or reproduction of this message
    is prohibited. If you have received this message in error please notify the
    sender immediately, then destroy the original message.
    Any views expressed in this message are solely those of the individual
    sender, except where the sender is specifically authorised
    by Sydney Adventist Hospital to state that they are the views of Sydney
    Adventist Hospital.
    _____________________________________________________________________
    This e-mail has been scanned for viruses by Symantec Hosted Services
    Scanning Services – powered by MessageLabs. For further information
    visit http://www.messagelabs.com

    Messages posted to this list are solely the opinion of the authors, and do
    not represent the opinion of ACIPC.

    Archive of all messages are available at http://aicalist.org.au/archives
    registration and login required.

    Replies to this message will be directed back to the list. To create a new
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