Antimicrobial disinfection effect of a laundering procedure for hospital textiles against various indicator bacteria and fungi using different substrates for simulating human excrements

Transfer Rates of Enteric Microorganisms in Recycled Water during Machine Clothes Washing

“…Consequently, the assumption was made that the initial washing procedure, which generally incorporates the use of washing detergents and sanitizers and which includes the evacuation of most water from the washing machine prior to entry of the rinse water, would result in a significant reduction in microorganism numbers. This is consistent with reports in the literature showing up to 99.99% (4 log 10 ) removal of microorganisms with the use of a sanitizer (12,14) and the importance of prewashing (10). Accordingly, the starting point of experimentation was clean (sterile) fabric swatches washed in drinking water (cold water) with no addition of washing detergent or sanitizers.…”

“…This is because the focus of other studies has been infection control and/or the transfer of microorganisms from soiled laundry to the washing VOL. 75, 2009 MICROBIAL TRANSFER IN RECYCLED-WATER LAUNDRY STUDIES 1261 machine water and to the washing machine user (10,12,14,22,23). Reports in the scientific literature show that fecally soiled clothing can itself contribute to the concentration of organisms to which the water user may be exposed (10,12,18).…”

“…However, there is limited available data quantifying the transfer of microorganisms during laundry activities. Many of the published studies have been focused on laundering practices in hospitals (10,19,21,23) and the communal environment (18), where infectious disease outbreaks can occur and where the role of soiled linen in disease transmission is of particular interest. Fewer studies have explored microbial transfer efficiencies specifically in the domestic situation and considered microbial transfer from fabric to fabric (12) or from fabric to hands (14,20).…”

Efficiency of Medical Workers’ Uniforms with Antimicrobial Activity

“…Microorganisms are able to survive on environmental surfaces up to several weeks [64] providing a significant biotransfer/cross-contamination/cross-infection potential [65] that should not be overlooked. Microorganisms can also survive in the patient's abiotic environment, such as contaminated equipment for care, diagnosis and treatment (textiles), food, water, and disinfectants and on surfaces [66], which shows that one of the possible sources of nosocomial pathogens can be inappropriately disinfected textiles [67]. The environment can play a marked role in the nosocomial transmission of microorganisms [68], where garments of healthcare workers are an important aspect of the environment that can easily become contaminated and are therefore recognized as a possible vehicle of nosocomial infections.…”

Comparison of methods for detection of four common nosocomial pathogens on hospital textiles

“…Published research shows that hospital textiles have been the possible source for infections of patients or hospital workers (9) with Staphylococcus aureus (10), methicilin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (11), Streptococcus pyogenes (12), vancomycin resistant enterococci (13), Bacillus cereus (14), Salmonella Typhimurium (15), Salmonellahadar (16), antibiotic resistant coliform bacteria (17), hepatitis A virus (18), Trichophyton interdigitale (19), Sarcoptes scabiei (20), Microsporum canis (21) and others. Research has also shown the survival of various microorganisms on textiles after laundering in hospital laundries where the following microorganisms have been detected: aerobic bacteria, total coliforms, Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes, Clostridium difficile spores (22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30).…”