ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

One of the primary chlorine disinfectants currently being used to clean hospital scrubs and surfaces does not kill off the most common cause of antibiotic-associated sickness in healthcare settings globally, according to a new study.

Research by the University of Plymouth has showed spores of C. diff are completely unaffected despite being treated with the high concentrations of bleach used in many hospitals. In fact, the chlorine chemicals are no more effective at damaging the spores when used as a surface disinfectant than using water with no additives.

Writing in the journal Microbiology, the study's authors say susceptible people working and being treated in clinical settings might be unknowingly placed at risk of contracting the superbug.

As a result, and with incidence of biocide overuse only serving to fuel rises in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide, they have called for urgent research to find alternative strategies to disinfect C. diff spores in order to break the chain of transmission in clinical environments.

Dr Tina Joshi, associate professor in molecular microbiology in the Peninsula Dental School, carried out the study with Humaira Ahmed, a fourth year medicine student from the Peninsula Medical School.

The authors say it highlights the ability of C. diff spores to tolerate disinfection at in-use and recommended active chlorine concentrations. It argues we need disinfectants and guidelines that are fit for purpose and work in line with bacterial evolution, and the research should have significant impact on current disinfection protocols in the medical field globally.