Background Norovirus infection outbreaks (NoVOs) occur frequently in closed populations, such as cruise ship passengers. Environmental contamination is believed to play an important role in NoVO propagation. Methods Trained health care professionals covertly evaluated the thoroughness of disinfection cleaning (TDC) of 6 standardized
Yes, they are, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina Health Care System and University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC. According to the authors of a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control, microfiber mops removed
The odor in a room is enough to elicit a stronger impulse towards fairness, researchers from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University have claimed. They believe their research proves there is a correlation between hygiene and decency and that by improving our environment
Abstract BackgroundThe objective of this study was to determine the contamination rate of the healthcare workers’ (HCWs’) mobile phones and hands in operating room and ICU. Microorganisms from HCWs’ hands could be transferred to the surfaces of the mobile phones during their use.
Abstract The environments we humans encounter daily are sources of exposure to diverse microbial communities, some of potential concern to human health. In this study, we used culture-independent technology to investigate the microbial composition of biofilms inside showerheads as ecological assemblages in the human
Abstract BackgroundContaminated environmental surfaces may play an important role in transmission of some healthcare-associated pathogens. In this study, we assessed the adequacy of cleaning practices in rooms of patients with Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) colonization or infection and examined whether
A basic guiding principle in understanding restroom cleaning is that almost all public restrooms have used designs and been constructed with methods and materials that embody flaws that work against easy removal of microbial contamination. These flaws include: non-mitered wall and floor intersections, walls that
There are many types of particle counters dependent upon the depth of particle analysis required: To measure ultrafine particles (size in nanometer range) one may utilize a condensation nucleus particle counter. Ultrafine airborne particle smaller than 0.1µm (micron), which generally cannot be detected by ordinary
Abstract In this review, we examine house dust and residential soil and their use for identifying sources and quantifying levels of toxicants for the estimation of exposure. We answer critical questions that focus on the selection of samples or sampling strategies for collection and discuss
ISSA / CIRI Partnership: A Clean Standard for K-12 Schools – April 14, 2009 – Dr. Steven SpivakScience Advisor, Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI) Dr. Spivak has 30+ years in academe plus the cleaning industry. • Thirty+ years Univ. of Maryland faculty and Dept.