Pathogen transfer and high variability in pathogen removal by detergent wipes
With the rise of hospital acquired infections, and now the threat of COVID-19, proper disinfection practices are critical. Many facility’s disinfection protocols support the use of chemical disinfectant wipes. However, it is important to understand the variability that exists with the manual process of using disinfectant wipes.
In 2015, a study was published in the American Journal of Infection Control that examined disinfectant wipe’s ability to remove Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridiodes difficile and Acinetobacter baumannii from a stainless-steel surface. Prior to this study, very little information existed on disinfectant wipe’s ability to remove or possibly transfer pathogens.
Results showed that wipes frequently transferred a considerable number of bacteria and spores over three subsequent surfaces. The study concluded with two primary disadvantages of disinfectant wipes. First, their variability in removing microbial bioburden and second, their tendency to relocate pathogens between surfaces wiped.
Click here to read the full study exploring the variability in disinfectant wipes in the American Journal of Infection Control.
