ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Infection rates in hospitals can be significantly reduced by using hydrogen peroxide vapour technology, according to a study published recently in the American Journal of Infection Control.

The paper byKim Horn MPH and Jonathan Otter PhD reports on the results of a study conducted from October 2010 to September 2013. The impact of the implementation of HPV room disinfection combined with improved hand hygiene on discharge of patients infected with C.difficile, MRSA, VRE (vancomycin-resistant enterococci) and ESBL (extended-spectrum β-lactamase) was measured.

The study reports a reduction in infection rates for all the targeted pathogens. Since the introduction of HPV room disinfection and improvements in hand hygiene, C.difficile infection rates have dropped by 47 per cent, while VRE cases have reduced by 95 per cent. With regard to ESBL infections, the study also noted a 94 per cent reduction which can mainly be attributed to enhanced hand hygiene. The MRSA rates were halved but this result wasn't statistically significant.

The paper also refers to other studies which have obtained similar results when using the HPV technology. The authors concluded: "We report substantial and sustained reductions in the rate of key hospital pathogens including CDI, VRE, and ESBL associated with the introduction of HPV and improvements in hand hygiene."