Antimicrobial activity of copper-nickel coated door handles: a blinded, randomized controlled study in a clinical setting

For several years we used rayon or Dacron swabs with liquid transport media for collection and transport of throat swab specimens for testing with the Gen-Probe Group A Strep Direct Test (GASDT). A report of favorable results with a Dacron swab without any transport media for GASDT by another laboratory prompted us to compare detection of group A streptococci (GAS) with and without transport media (referred to as "wet" and "dry" swabs, respectively). Phase one of this study used swabs seeded with GAS. Initially, six recent clinical isolates of GAS were inoculated onto wet and dry swabs and stored at room temperature (RT). After 1, 2, and 3 days of storage, colony counting and GASDT were performed with the swabs. The results, expressed as the mean percentage of the results at zero time, were as follows: for GASDT with wet swabs at 1, 2, and 3 days, 62, 51, and 56%, respectively; for GASDT with dry swabs at 1, 2, and 3 days, 105, 80, and 85%, respectively; for colony counts with wet swabs at 1, 2, and 3 days, 52, 26, and 13%, respectively; for colony counts with dry swabs at 1, 2, and 3 days, 10, 0, and 0%, respectively. An additional six strains of GAS were tested in a similar manner, except that extracts of pharyngeal flora (PF) were added to the inocula. The results obtained with extracts of PF were comparable to those obtained with GAS alone. We also compared the performance of GASDT with wet and dry swabs stored at RT and 4 degrees C. Ten strains of GAS were inoculated onto wet and dry swabs, and GASDT was performed each day for 9 days. The GASDT results for swabs on day 9, expressed as the mean percentage of the results obtained at zero time, were as follows: dry swab and 4 degrees C, 59%; wet swab and 4 degrees C, 31%; dry swab and RT, 33%; and wet swab and RT, 19%. In phase two of this study we conducted a clinical evaluation to determine whether the differences observed with seeded specimens would also be evident with patient specimens. We used a single dry Dacron swab paired with a single rayon Bacti-Swab with liquid Stuart transport medium for the clinical evaluation. Specimens were collected from 1,005 outpatients, plated onto a Strep Selective Agar plate, and then tested within 30 min by GASDT. If culture of GAS from the same swab is used to define a true-positive test result, the sensitivities and specificities were as follows: GASDT with wet swabs, 86.2 and 98.5%, respectively; GASDT with dry swabs, 90.7 and 98.1%, respectively. However, the use of culture as the "gold standard" may understate the actual performance characteristics of GASDT, particularly for the dry swabs. In conclusion, for GASDT the use of swabs without transport media may be preferable to the use of swabs with transport media.

Optimising the conditions for isolation of Mycoplasma gallisepticum collected on applicator swabs

Comparison of DRY and WET vaginal swabs with cervical specimens in Roche Cobas 4800 HPV and Abbott RealTime High Risk HPV tests

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global health, with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) facing unique healthcare challenges. Polyester nasal swabs stored in dry tubes have emerged as a cost-effective and scalable method for routine testing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We aimed to assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among deceased individuals in an urban slum in Karachi, Pakistan, using dry and wet polyester nasal swabs, and to validate their use for post-mortem detection of the virus.MethodsWe conducted a prospective observational study from July 2022 to August 2023 in a low-income setting. We collected nasal samples from 350 deceased individuals based on community death alerts using dry polyester and wet swabs with transport media. These were then processed for SARS-CoV-2 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), with the positive samples sequenced on the Illumina platform to identify circulating variants. We also performed a comparative analysis between dry and wet swab methods for diagnostic performance.ResultsOf the 350 samples, 21 (6.0%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Males accounted for 15/21 (71.4%) of positive cases, with the majority aged 60 and above (n/N = 12/21, 57.1%). The Omicron (22F) variant was the most prevalent, detected in 16/21 (76%) cases. The diagnostic performance of wet swabs showed a sensitivity of 76.19%, while dry swabs were more accurate, with a sensitivity of 90.48%, achieving a diagnostic odds ratio of 3120.5.ConclusionsOur study demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of using dry polyester nasal swabs for post-mortem detection of SARS-CoV-2 in resource-constrained settings. These findings emphasise the method's potential for monitoring respiratory infectious diseases and guiding public health strategies in LMICs.

In the UK, approximately 40 per cent of the pig breeding herds are outdoors. To monitor their porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) status, blood is collected commonly from piglets around weaning. Sample collection in British outdoor pigs often occurs during the early morning hours when the piglets tend to accumulate inside sheltered areas. For practical reasons, dry cotton swabs are occasionally used for blood collection and stored at room temperature until arrival in the laboratory. Detection of PRRSV RNA is a function of viral concentration, sample type and storage condition. To evaluate a possible impact of the sampling protocol on PRRSV1 detection, experimentally spiked blood samples using three dilutions of a representative PRRSV1 strain were prepared. In addition, blood samples from pigs naturally infected with PRRSV were obtained from a PRRSV-positive British herd. Spiked blood and blood from infected pigs were used to obtain sera, dry or wet (immersed in saline) polyester or cotton swabs and FTA cards. The different samples were stored for 24 hours, 48 hours or 7 days at 4°C or 20°C and tested by a real-time reverse transcriptase PRRSV PCR assay. Under the study conditions, the best matrix was serum (96.7 per cent), followed by wet swabs (78 per cent), dry swabs (61.3 per cent) and FTA cards (51 per cent). Polyester swabs (76 per cent) showed a better performance than cotton swabs (63.3 per cent). The reduction in sensitivity obtained for swabs and FTA cards was particularly high at low viral concentrations. The results indicate that wet polyester swabs should be used whenever possible.

Introduction. Prevention of hospital-acquired infections in surgical wards is associated with a high level of nurses’ knowledge and skills in the area of the observance of procedures, standards of prevention of infections, use of personal protection means, and isolation of patients infected with the alert pathogen. Objective. The aim of the study was recognition of the level of knowledge concerning prevention of hospital-acquired infections among nursing staff in surgical wards. Materials and Method. The study was conducted in 2021, and included 115 nurses employed in hospital wards in two hospitals. The research method was a diagnostic survey, the technique – a questionnaire, and the research tool – an author-constructed questionnaire. Results. The majority of the examined nurses (68.0%) presented a ‘mediocre’ level of knowledge concerning hospital-acquired infections, while 38.9% - a ‘low’ level. More than a half of the respondents (60.0%) knew the purpose for hygienic handwashing. Approximately ¾ of respondents knew that there is no necessity for using sterile gloves during procedures related with the risk of contact with blood or body fluids. The majority of nurses in the study (62.5%) had a deficit of knowledge about transient flora inhabiting the skin, and 1/3 of respondents had no established principles of observance of personal protection means. More than a half of nurses (65.2%) did not know the objective of isolation of patients infected with an alert pathogen. Nearly a half of respondents (47.8%) knew that standard isolation is applied in each patient, irrespective of the previous medical history taking. Almost 2/3 of respondents (64.3%) knew that isolations applied in infections transmitted through contact, by airborne-droplet and airborne-dust routes are the types of above-standard isolation. Conclusions. The results of the study confirm the need for expanding the scope of knowledge about prevention of hospital-acquired infections, the time of hygienic and surgical handwashing, as well as the principles of using personal protection means. The nurses presented a deficit of knowledge concerning transient flora of pathogenic microorganisms inhabiting the surface of the hands, and the principles of using personal protection means. Nurses require the expansion of the scope of knowledge about the goal and principles of standard and above-standard isolation of patients infected with alert pathogen.

Hospital- or health care establishments–acquired infection and quality and bioavailability of antimicrobial agents

Background: Nurses, as well as other health workers, have an important role to play toward preventing hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) among the patients and themselves. The most important and basic techniques in the prevention and control of infection transmission are hand washing. Objectives: The study was aimed to investigate measures utilized by health-care professionals, in the prevention and control of nosocomial infections in the selected health facility. Materials and Methods: A descriptive questionnaire was designed and used to identify and describe the measures and role of health-care professionals in the prevention and control of HAI in the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa. One hundred and fifteen nurses were selected at random among the health facilities to partake in the survey. Results: Respondents had good knowledge on the transmission and prevention of HAIs and that universal precaution must be employed in all aspects of patient care. All nurses strongly agreed that gloves do not transmit pathogens that cause HAIs and 88.7% of the respondents strongly disagreed that over diluted solutions are effective in decontamination as long as instruments are soaked for long periods, nurses that participated in the survey demonstrates a very good attitude towards the prevention of nosocomial infections. Some showed that personal protective equipment reduced their efficiency during procedures. Conclusion: Nosocomial infections complicate patient care and prolong the stay of patients in hospitals. The provision of safe care through the acquired knowledge and demonstration of a positive attitude will promote the preventive measures and subsequent incidence of HAIs.

Evaluation of two different swab transport systems in the detection of avian influenza virus excretion from infected Pekin ducks (Anas platyrhynchos)

Background: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) pose serious challenges to safe and high-quality healthcare delivery. They are associated with prolonged hospital stays, disability, economic burden, and mortality, and are usually consequences of poor infection prevention and control practices. The objective of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare workers on infection prevention, and the determining factors at the National Hospital Abuja, Nigeria. Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 300 participants selected by multi-stage and systematic random sampling techniques at the National Hospital Abuja. Data on knowledge of HAIs, attitude toward HAI prevention, and practice of HAI prevention were collected from each participant using self-administered structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Science, version 25.0. Chi-square test was used to determine the association between categorical variables, and the level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Of the 300 questionnaires administered, 286 were duly filled and returned, resulting in a response rate of 95.3%. One hundred and three (53.0%) respondents were within the age group 31-40 years, over half of the respondents were females (58.7%) and 57.0% had work experience of less than 5 years. Based on the cut-off scores of 15.7, 32.2 and 8.5 that characterized respondents’ knowledge, attitude and practice of infection prevention respectively as good or poor, 50.4% of the respondents had good knowledge of HAIs, 71.0% had good attitude towards HAIs prevention and 55.5% had good infection prevention practices. However, good knowledge of HAIs was significantly associated with poor infection prevention practices (p=0.002). Female gender (p=0.029), work experience of less than 5 years (p=0.036), laboratory scientist profession (p=0.010), and no previous training on HAIs (p=0.005) were factors significantly associated with good infection prevention practices among the respondents. Conclusion: In this study, good knowledge of HAIs, and infection prevention practices among the respondents were average, although good attitude towards HAIs prevention was high. These findings highlight the need to continue intensive and in-service trainings of healthcare workers toward HAIs prevention, including behavioral change, using innovative approaches.

Objective:Hospital-acquired infection is higher in low- and middle-income countries because of inadequate knowledge of hospital-acquired infection prevention and poor adherence to standard infection prevention practices.Methods:A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 randomly selected nurses working at university referral hospitals in Southern, Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region, Ethiopia from 01 to 30 April 2021. Data was collected by self-administer questionnaires. Multivariable binary logistic regressions were used to assess the association between the outcome variables and explanatory variables. The adjusted odds ratio was calculated and variables with a 95% confidence interval were declared as statistically significant.Results:The study found that 45.5% (95% confidence interval: 40.6%–50.4%) and 64.8% (95% confidence interval: 60.1%–69.5%) of nurses had good knowledge and practices toward hospital-acquired infection prevention, respectively. Being male (adjusted odd ratio: 2.2, 1.41–3.40), having a degree and above in nursing (adjusted odd ratio: 3.6, 1.73–7.38), having more than 5 years of work experience (adjusted odd ratio: 2.0, 1.24–3.26), having training on infection prevention (adjusted odd ratio: 2.6, 1.58–4.37) and adequate materials supplies (adjusted odd ratio: 2.2, 1.08–4.45) had associated with nurses’ knowledge about hospital-acquired infection prevention. On the other hand, having a degree and above in nursing (adjusted odd ratio: 1.98, 1.07–3.66), consistent water supply (adjusted odd ratio: 3.4, 1.58–7.30), and being aware of the existence of infection prevention guidelines in their institution (adjusted odd ratio: 1.80, 1.14–2.87) had associated with good practices of nurses toward hospital-acquired infections prevention.Conclusion:Less than half of the nurses had adequate knowledge and approximately two-thirds of nurses had good practice for hospital-acquired infection prevention.

Can mailed swab samples be dry-shipped for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis by nucleic acid amplification tests?

Adsorption behavior of dodecylamine on copper–nickel alloy surface in NaCl solutions studied by electrochemical methods and AFM

Background:Recent research has shown that healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are on the increase despite education.Aims:The aims of this study were to isolate, quantify, and determine antibiotic susceptibility pattern of bacteria on formites at the Central Regional Hospital, Cape Coast, Ghana.Settings and Design:Purposive sampling of likely areas of contamination and contact by patients and healthcare workers was undertaken.Materials and Methods:A total of 100 swabs were taken from door handles, working surfaces, beds and taps from the various wards, consulting rooms, OPDs, laboratory, and surgical theatre. Serial dilution was used in quantifying bacteria, MacConkey and blood agars were used in isolation, and the Kirby Bauer method applied in antibiotic sensitivity testing. Statistical analysis: Data were statistically analyzed using Statview from SAS Version 5.0. The means were separated using double-tailed paired means comparison.Results:Mean bacterial count ranges from least in wards (9.67 × 1011), working surfaces (1.64 × 1012), door handles (1.71 × 1012), and highest in taps (2.08 × 1012). Door handles had the highest isolation (23) and highest number of differential isolates were from working surfaces (7). Of the total bacterial isolates, 46.14% were pathogenic, with S. aureus being the highest (14.42%), while 53.86% were nonpathogenic made up of 45.2% of Bacillus spp. Gentamicin was 100% effective, while 6 of the total 12 antibiotics tested (50%) were 100% resistant in either gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria.Conclusion:There was a high potential of bacterial transmission from the studied surfaces requiring hospital management to monitor and enforce cleaning regimen to prevent HAIs.

Improving the Quality of Nasal Specimen Collection for Influenza A and B Screening