Cross-contamination Control Research Articles

The Problem of Worst-Case Variability in Cleaning Validation and Cross-Contamination Control: A Quality by Design Approach on Some Cephalosporin Residuals

The Problem of Worst-Case Variability in Cleaning Validation and Cross-Contamination Control: A Quality by Design Approach on Some Cephalosporin Residuals

Understanding the role of household hygiene practices and foodborne disease risks in child stunting: a UKRI GCRF Action Against Stunting Hub protocol paper

IntroductionEnvironmental hygiene and food safety are important determinants of child stunting. This research aims to explore the relationship between child stunting and household hygiene practices and behaviours, including the availability...

Revolutionizing the Major Threat Challenges in Pharmaceutical Industries by Monitoring Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems

The environmental as well as personal individuals are mainly influenced by the air ventilation. In pharmaceutical industry the efficacy of substances including raw materials, in-process ingredients, finished products and machineries in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is mainly influenced by the air ventilation quality in interior area of the industry. Heating, ventilation and airconditioning system plays a vital role in ensuring the quality pharmaceutical drug substances as well as drug products. It also protects the pharmaceutical products from contamination and cross contamination from various contaminants like dust or dirt particles and environmental other microorganisms. HVAC system design impacts the architectural design layout of the building as these sequentially have an influence on the room pressure, pressure cascades, pressure differentials, contamination and cross-contamination control. So, the design of the system must be considered carefully at the primary design period of the pharmaceutical industrial plant.It also controls a variety of operating functions which are involved in regulating the acceptance criteria, quality assurance, validation and qualification of the building facility, operational documents and the documentation for maintenance. These protocols are mainly followed and performed for new equipment’s, utilities, premises and systems, at periodic intermissions, as soon as major variations have been completed. This chapter provides insight into the superlative necessities of HVAC system on the environmental protection in pharmaceutical industries and also about the role of it in manufacturing of drug substances and products in the production unit of the industrial plant. In addition, it summarizes existing information about the validation, qualification, maintenance, risk assessment and also highlights about the automation of HVAC system in the pharmaceutical industries.

Awareness Regarding Cross-Contamination Control among Post-Graduate Residents

Background: Cross-infection during clinical training can occur when an infectious pathogen is transmitted between a medical staff and a patient in the clinical setting. Dental professionals, including dental/oral hygienists, doctors and P. A’s, are always at high risk of getting HIV and / or hepatitis B. Cross-infection is well-defined as “spread/transfer of infection amongst staff and patients in clinic or hospital setting”. Methods: Questionnaire based Cross-sectional study was done on post-graduate residents of the Multan dental college Multan. 58 post-graduate residents took part in our research. Universal sampling was done for collection of data. Partakers signed an informed consent. Results: Fifty-eight postgraduate residents completed the form. Males were eighteen while ladies were forty.79% participants believe that dental setups/hospitals are more liable to contamination compared to other healthcare areas. All PGR’s believe that vaccination against the hepatitis B virus is obligatory for a dental professional and they maintain additional precautions generally whenever dealing AIDS & hepatitis B, C patients. 93% residents wash their hands regularly after treating each & every patient and indicated that use of PPE plays an important role in preventing cross-contamination. 96.5% of subjects were conscious whenever handling sharp instruments. Majority of these PGR’s use facemask & gloves nevertheless Protective eyewear, aprons & head-caps were not used by most of them. Conclusion: Participants showed satisfactory awareness about cross-contamination control. Knowledge gained must also be transferred to their daily practice. Dental institutes should also focus on establishing policies to control cross-contamination at the institutional level.

Effectiveness and Durability of a Quaternary Ammonium Compounds-Based Surface Coating to Reduce Surface Contamination.

Foodborne diseases are of major concern as they have a significant impact on public health, both socially and economically. The occurrence of cross-contamination of food in household kitchens is a serious threat and the adoption of safe food practices is of paramount importance. This work aimed to study the effectiveness and durability of a commercial quaternary ammonium compound-based surface coating which, according to the manufacturer, retains its antimicrobial activity for 30 days, and is suitable for all types of hard surfaces for the prevention and/or control of cross-contamination. For that, its antimicrobial efficacy, killing contact time and durability on three different surfaces-polyvinyl chloride, glass, and stainless-steel-against three pathogens-Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Acinetobacter baumannii ESB260 and Listeria monocytogenes Scott A-were tested according to the current antimicrobial treated surfaces efficacy test (ISO22196:2011). The results showed that the antimicrobial coating was effective against all pathogens with a reduction of >5.0 log CFU/cm2 in less than one minute for the three surfaces, but its durability was less than one week on all surfaces cleaned in the usual manner. Additionally, trace amounts (≤0.2 mg/kg) of the antimicrobial coating, which may migrate into food when contacting the surface, did not show cytotoxicity to human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. The suggested antimicrobial coating has the potential to significantly reduce surface contamination, ensure surface disinfection and reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination in domestic kitchens, although it is less durable than suggested. The use of this technology in household settings is an attractive complement to the existing cleaning protocols and solutions that are already in place.

Disinfection of Reusable Laryngoscopes: A Survey about the Clinical Practice in Spain.

Airway device-associated infections resulting from the cross-contamination of reusable laryngoscopes are one of the main causes of healthcare-associated infections. Laryngoscope blades are highly contaminated with various pathogens, including Gram-negative bacilli, which can cause prolonged hospitalization, high morbidity and mortality risks, the development of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, and significant costs. Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Society of Anesthesiologists' recommendations, this national survey of 248 Spanish anesthesiologists showed that there is great variability in the processing of reusable laryngoscopes in Spain. Nearly a third of the respondents did not have an institutional disinfection protocol, and 45% of them did not know the disinfection procedure used. Good practices for the prevention and control of cross-contamination can be ensured through compliance with evidence-based guidelines, education of healthcare providers, and audits of clinical practices.

Organic Pollutants Associated with Plastic Debris in Marine Environment: A Systematic Review of Analytical Methods, Occurrence, and Characteristics

Plastic pollution has become one of the most serious environmental problems, and microplastics (MPs, particles < 5 mm size) may behave as a vehicle of organic pollutants, causing detrimental effects to the environment. Studies on MP-sorbed organic pollutants lack methodological standardization, resulting in a low comparability and replicability. In this work, we reviewed 40 field studies of MP-sorbed organic contaminants using PRISMA guidelines for acquiring information on sampling and analytical protocols. The papers were also scored for their reliability on the basis of 7 criteria, from 0 (minimum) to 21 (maximum). Our results showed a great heterogeneity of the methods used for the sample collection, MPs extraction, and instruments for chemicals' identification. Measures for cross-contamination control during MPs analysis were strictly applied only in 13% of the studies, indicating a need for quality control in MPs-related research. The most frequently detected MP-sorbed chemicals were polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Most of the studies showed a good reliability (>75% of the total score), with 32 papers scoring 16 or higher. On the basis of the collected information, a standardizable protocol for the detection of MPs and MP-sorbed chemicals has been suggested for improving the reliability of MPs monitoring studies.

Awareness/ Knowledge and practice about the cross-contamination control among Demonstrators

Background: Cross infection is a type of infection which can spread between three stack holders of the community i.e. Doctors, paramedical staff and the patient. The infectious diseases can spread from doctors to the patients, or patients to the doctors and healthcare workers2.These infectious diseases can spread during medical, surgical or dental treatment. Dental treatment is considered as most notorious one to spread cross infection between the healthcare workers and the community. Aim: To assess &amp; check the awareness/ knowledge and practice about the cross-contamination control among demonstrators Study design: Descriptive Cross-sectional study Place and duration of study: Multan Dental College Multan. Duration of this study was 3 months. Methodology: This study was a cross-sectional survey which was conducted in the dental section of Multan Medical and Dental College Multan where forty demonstrators were included in the study. Data was collected by random sampling. After taking informed consent a questionnaire was filled by the participants. Results: Out of forty demonstrators. Males were twenty-fourwhile females were sixteen. 95% participants consider that the dental clinics/hospitals are additionally predisposed to contamination/infection when compared with other medical fields. 90% participants wash hands regularly after giving the treatment to each and every patient. Conclusion: Participants showed acceptable awareness/knowledge and satisfactory practice about contamination control. Keywords: Cross-contamination control, Demonstrators, Dentistry, and Protective measures

Awareness/ Knowledge and practice about the cross-contamination control among Demonstrators

Background: Cross infection is a type of infection which can spread between three stack holders of the community i.e. Doctors, paramedical staff and the patient. The infectious diseases can spread from doctors to the patients, or patients to the doctors and healthcare workers2.These infectious diseases can spread during medical, surgical or dental treatment. Dental treatment is considered as most notorious one to spread cross infection between the healthcare workers and the community. Aim: To assess &amp; check the awareness/ knowledge and practice about the cross-contamination control among demonstrators Study design: Descriptive Cross-sectional study Place and duration of study: Multan Dental College Multan. Duration of this study was 3 months. Methodology: This study was a cross-sectional survey which was conducted in the dental section of Multan Medical and Dental College Multan where forty demonstrators were included in the study. Data was collected by random sampling. After taking informed consent a questionnaire was filled by the participants. Results: Out of forty demonstrators. Males were twenty-fourwhile females were sixteen. 95% participants consider that the dental clinics/hospitals are additionally predisposed to contamination/infection when compared with other medical fields. 90% participants wash hands regularly after giving the treatment to each and every patient. Conclusion: Participants showed acceptable awareness/knowledge and satisfactory practice about contamination control. Keywords: Cross-contamination control, Demonstrators, Dentistry, and Protective measures

Awareness and Practice Regarding Cross Infection Control Among Dental House Officers in a Tertiary Care Setting

Background: Dental care workers including dental assistant &amp; doctors are at joint risk of receiving infection. Cross infection can be defined as “the spread of infection between staff members &amp; patients in clinical setting.” Precautions should be adopted while treating or checking the patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study of 3 months duration was carried on dental house officers of Multan Medical and dental college Multan. 60 dental house officers willingly participated in our study. Universal sampling technique was utilized in order to collect the data. Informed consent was sign up from the partakers. Results: Out of sixty dental house officers, males were twenty seven while females were thirty three . 85% participants consider that dental clinics/hospitals are more predisposed to the infection/contamination than other medical fields. 73.3% partakers wash the hands regularly after providing the treatment to every patient. All the partakers reported that usage of PPE has a foremost part in the prevention of cross contamination. Majority of the partakers use gloves as well as facemask but goggles or protective eyewear, head caps &amp; aprons were not in use by most of participants. Conclusion: Adequate awareness/knowledge but less satisfactory practice about infection control was reported. Knowledge acquired must also be transferred into everyday practice. Continuous infection control education through lectures/ tutorials or seminars must be organized. Cross-contamination control guidelines should also be established by dental colleges.

Knowledge, Awareness &amp; Practice about Cross Contamination Control among the Students of Dentistry

Background: Cross contamination is stated as “Spread of infection between staff members &amp; patients in clinical setting”. Cross infection throughout clinical training might occur with transfer of infectious agents between health workers &amp; patients in a clinical location. Dental care workers including dental assistant &amp; doctors are at giant risk of receiving infection. Aim: To assess the awareness/knowledge &amp; practice about cross contamination control among students of dentistry Study design: Cross-sectional study Place and duration of study: This study of 3 months duration was carried on students of Multan dental college Multan. Methodology: 60 students willingly participated in our study. Simple random sampling technique was utilized in order to collect the data. Well-structured Performa was consumed. Informed consent was sign up from the partakers. Results: 85% participants consider that dental clinics/hospitals are more predisposed to the infection/contamination than other medical fields. 90% of the partakers were totally aware about universal precautions to avert the cross contamination. All the subjects usually maintained the additional precautions while treating AIDS &amp; hepatitis B, C patients. Majority of the partakers use gloves as well as facemask but googles or Protective eyewear, head caps &amp; aprons were not in use by most of participants. Conclusion: Participants of our study showed adequate &amp; sufficient awareness/knowledge but less satisfactory practice about contamination control. Knowledge gained should also be transferred into daily routine practice Keywords: Cross contamination control, Dentistry, Students, and Precautionary measures

A Review on Cleaning Validation-Regulatory Guidelines for The Pharmaceutical Industry

Manufacturing of Pharmaceutical products shall demonstrate a control to reproduce consistently the desired quality of product, wherein the control of cross-contamination plays an important role. An effective cleaning shall be in place to provide documented evidence that the cleaning methods employed within a facility consistently controls potential carryover of product (including intermediates and impurities), cleaning agents and extraneous material into subsequent product to a level which is below predetermined levels. Pharmaceutical manufacturers must validate their cleaning process to ensure compliance with cGMP regulations. So it is necessary to validate the cleaning procedures to ensure safety, efficacy, quality of the subsequent batches of drug product and regulatory requirements in Pharmaceutical product manufacture. In this article cleaning validation and cleaning validation program discussed in brief.

SAFE FOOD AND GOOD HYGIENE PRACTICES OF EMPLOYEES IN CONVECTIONAL KITCHENS OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE BUSINESSES: THE CASE OF KASTAMONU

The study was carried out using the face-to-face interview method with the technique of interviewing participants with cooks working in residential food and beverage establishments operating in Kastamonu and having conventional kitchens. The data of the study prepared using the qualitative research method are made up of cooks aged 30-50 dec reside in Kastamonu and participate in the study voluntarily. According to the research findings, participants' sensitivity to food safety is at a certain level, when it comes to kitchen hygiene, they pay attention to chopping boards, countertops and cabinets, they are constantly in control of cross-contamination, HACCP (Hazard Analysis And Critical Control PointsHazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is a term that some participants do not know about, although it is not known that they are active in practice, it has been reported that some enterprises are providing hygiene training to newly started personnel and that the Covit19 pandemic process has caused very big changes in food safety and good hygiene practices applied in conventional kitchens.

Hygiene Status and Meat Handling Practices in Retail Poultry Meat Shops of Nagpur City of Maharashtra

Poultry retail meat shops are endpoints in the meat chain and can have a determinant role in cross-contamination control. Considering this, a total of 160 retail poultry meat shops in and around Nagpur city of Maharashtra state were assessed for hygienic status and meat handling practices. Meat handlers from poultry meat shops were interviewed through a structural questionnaire. It was found that 83.7% of meat shops had no provision of separate docks for edible and inedible products. In terms of design and facilities, only 27.5% of shops had the facility of flyproof windows. 80.6% of meat shop workers lack training in handling meat and equipment. It was observed that about 83.1% of meat shop workers do not wash their hands properly before entering and leaving the meat shop. About 25% of meat shops do not have any arrangement for the disposal of waste material. Considering the findings to improve the hygienic status and reduce transmission of diseases due to consuming contaminated meat, regular surveillance of poultry shops and formal training of butchers are necessary.

Cross-Contamination as a Problem in Collection and Analysis of Environmental Samples Containing Microplastics—A Review

Research conducted so far on the presence of microplastics in the environment shows that these items are ubiquitous pollutants and therefore constitute an inherent part of our lives. This constitutes a significant problem in many aspects, and one of them is the correct identification of microplastics in environmental samples. Environmental samples can be easily contaminated by plastic microparticles from other sources if proper precautions are not taken during sampling and analysis. The consequence of not taking this cross-contamination into account when analysing the results may be their significant overestimation. This review aims to draw attention to the problem of cross-contamination that accompanies the collection and analysis of samples for the presence of microplastics, and to discuss this issue in a comprehensive manner. The article indicates potential sources of cross-contamination, lists the mitigation methods, and describes the possibilities of assessing this type of contamination. Moreover, the review examines how cross-contamination control appears in practice, based on the available literature data.

Controlling cross‐contamination by food allergens

Controlling cross‐contamination by food allergens

Cross contamination control strategy in multiproduct pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities

Cross contamination control strategy in multiproduct pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities

Microbiological Assessment of Selected Laboratories at a Local University in Malaysia

Microbiological contaminations in the laboratories create not only diagnostic issues but also pose a major health risk to lab users. This study was conducted to determine the airborne microbial contamination in seven selected laboratories (KA, KP, PB, NA, BP, CR and MB) at a local public university in Malaysia and to assess the level of contamination on the contact surfaces of the studied laboratories. Two types of sampling methods were used in this study; passive air sampling and contact surface swab sampling. The total microbial counts were determined using Tryptone Soya agar (bacterial count) and Potato Dextrose agar (fungal count). Results showed that NA laboratory had the highest level of total microbial contamination (20.33 ± 3.35 CFU/cm3 ). Most laboratories had significantly higher (p < 0.05) air fungal contamination level compared to bacterial contaminations except for PB and NA laboratories. Significant differences were observed for airborne bacterial contamination readings between sampling time (during working hours vs after hours) for all laboratories except for BP and CR. Overall, bacterial contamination was the highest for incubator door handles’ samples from MB laboratory with an average reading of 93.00 ± 1.43 CFU/cm2 whereas the highest fungal contamination level was obtained from door knobs and work benches, both from CR laboratory with an average reading of 73.33 ± 6.67 CFU/cm2 and 73.33 ± 0.58 CFU/cm2 respectively. Findings from this study could assist in monitoring the efficacy of the existing laboratory management systems namely on the good laboratory practices including aseptic techniques, care for laboratory hygiene and cross-contamination control practices by the laboratory users to ensure that the microbiological contaminations in the laboratories are minimized.

FOOD SAFETY RISK FACTORS IN SELECTED OUTSIDE CATERING ENTERPRISES IN NAIROBI, KENYA

Outside catering requires preparation and service of food at a site away from the business establishment. The specialized requirements of this type of catering however produce many challenges in the preparation, production, transportation and service of food that may affect the safety of food exhibiting potential outbreak risks of food-borne illnesses. These procedures add to the increased risk of food contamination. The food safety risk factors exposed through these processes are what this study sought to investigate. The study focused on selected outside catering events in Nairobi targeting food handlers of outside catering events in the city. The sample size was 60 from which data was collected. The collected data was then subjected to Correlations and multiple linear regression and ANOVA for analysis. The results showed a significant positive relationship between the hygiene, food handling processes and personnel control of cross contamination habits; and food safety. The regression coefficient of the three independent variables: hygiene practices (-0.294), food handling process (0.042) and personnel control of cross contamination habits (-0.304)) were positively and significantly related. In conclusion a positive change in control of cross contamination, enhanced food handlers supervision, control of food handling processes in firms offering outside catering services would ensure provision of safe food.

Approaches toward Identification of Surrogates To Validate Antimicrobial Washes as Preventive Controls for Fresh-Cut Leafy Greens

In fresh-cut produce production, antimicrobials may be used during washing to control the risk of cross-contamination by microbial hazards. Surrogate microorganisms have long been used to validate processes, but none have been identified for validating the efficacy of antimicrobial washing of fresh-cut produce. The objective of this study was to develop procedures by which surrogates may be identified for use in validating the control of cross-contamination for fresh-cut lettuce operations. Four microbial characteristics, which may be important factors in cross-contamination events, were quantitatively evaluated in potential surrogate microorganisms for comparison to a reasonably foreseeable hazard, Escherichia coli O157:H7: sensitivity to chlorine in solution, sensitivity to chlorine on lettuce leaf surfaces, shedding from contaminated lettuce leaves into the water during washing, and cross-contamination from inoculated to uninoculated lettuce leaves during chorine washing. A procedure of practical quantitative experiments for comparing the characteristics reduced the original pool of 80 potential strains, which consisted of lactic acid bacteria, probiotics, and isolates obtained from lettuce enrichment cultures, to five strains: Lactobacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus, probiotic 22C, and two lettuce enrichment isolates. These strains may be evaluated in additional studies involving comparisons to other reasonably foreseeable hazards and including other potential process variables that should be understood and controlled to prevent cross-contamination in fresh-cut lettuce operations.