Hospitals are known for their strict hygiene protocols, but infections acquired in these settings remain a concern. One critical factor is the cleanliness of surfaces, which can harbor harmful bacteria. Poor sanitation in healthcare facilities can lead to significant health risks, including the spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Therefore, ensuring that surfaces are effectively decontaminated is crucial to preventing hospital-acquired infections. To address this issue, an evaluation of the effectiveness of current decontamination techniques was conducted, focusing on identifying bacterial populations present on surfaces before and after cleaning and disinfection, as well as assessing the susceptibility of these bacteria to two disinfectants.
A study conducted at the University Hospital of the Mountains (UdMTH) has shown that significant progress has been made in surface decontamination, improving hospital hygiene and reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections. This project, entitled “Effectiveness of surface decontamination at the University Hospital of the Mountains: monitoring in the biomedical analysis laboratory”, led by O'Neal Dorsel Youté, Christelle Domngang Noche, Esther Guladys Kougang and Pierre René Fotsing Kwetche of the Université des Montagnes (Cameroon) and Blandine Pulchérie Tamatcho Kweyang of the University of Yaoundé I (Cameroon), was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of a decontamination protocol in the biomedical analysis laboratory of the UdMTH. The results have been published in the peer-reviewed journal Heliyon.
The decontamination process was carried out following a two-step protocol: cleaning with “Pax lemon” detergent and disinfection with Surfanios® or sodium hypochlorite. The Cameroonian team attempted to determine the bacterial populations present on surfaces before cleaning, between cleaning and disinfection and after disinfection, and to assess the susceptibility of these bacteria to commonly used disinfectants.
Before decontamination, high bacterial loads were recorded, with Staphylococcus Species that dominated the cleaning process effectively reduced these bacterial loads to values below detectable levels and, after complete decontamination, no bacteria were found on the target surfaces. The team highlighted that “the high bacterial loads recorded on these surfaces before decontamination became undetectable after cleaning with the detergent ‘Pax lemon’.”
The results highlighted that almost all bacterial isolates were susceptible to both Surfanios® and sodium hypochlorite, demonstrating the efficacy of the disinfectants. These authors noted: “Overall, these findings indicated the efficacy of the process on the exposed bacterial populations and suggest the use of Surfanios® or sodium hypochlorite for the hygiene of work surfaces.”
In terms of methodology, the researchers used a descriptive cross-sectional design. Sampling was performed using a wet swab method. Samples were collected and analyzed using, for bacterial detection and enumeration, an adjusted analysis protocol that took into account the nature of the surface material and standard bacterial detection protocols, identifying and characterizing bacterial isolates using macroscopy, microscopy, and various biochemical tests. In addition, susceptibility testing of the bacteria to disinfectants was performed using an adjusted analysis protocol.
The integrated approach underscores the importance of maintaining rigorous decontamination protocols in healthcare settings. In relation to the availability of resources and the affordability associated with sodium hypochlorite, the team concluded that cleaning with the detergent ‘Pax lemon’ and disinfection with sodium hypochlorite may be sufficient for the types of surfaces examined in their research.
The researchers provided other points to consider for the development of the research. They suggested that, for environmental contamination or hygiene control, it would be useful to identify contextual microbial biomarkers that can be used affordably in resource-limited settings. Based on their results and those of others they have used, they have proposed the genus Staphylococcus. Also, in line with the methodology and its results, another perspective was to carry out work to improve the bacterial detection thresholds on surfaces achieved with protocols that use wet swab sampling methods and bacterial culture.
Youté and colleagues believe that these findings are crucial to improving hospital hygiene practices not only at UdMTH, but also at other healthcare facilities. The successful reduction of bacterial loads to undetectable levels emphasizes the effectiveness of the proven decontamination protocols, which could serve as a model for similar institutions looking to improve their infection control measures.
Journal reference
Youté OD, Domngang Noche C, Tamatcho Kweyang BP, Kougang EG and Fotsing Kwetche PR. “Effectiveness of surface decontamination at the University Hospital 'Université des Montagnes': follow-up in the biomedical analysis laboratory” Heliyon, 2024; 10(4): e25647. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25647
About the authors
O'Neal Dorsel Youté His research interests include hospital hygiene and means to control the presence of microbes in the hospital environment in resource-limited settings. The work presented on this platform is one of the outcomes of his final master's project at the Université des Montagnes. Youté graduated in 2020 with a master's degree in Medical Biology, specialising in Microbiology. He is also interested in issues of antimicrobial resistance and infectious diseases.yut.oneal2@gmail.com)
Blandine Pulchérie Tamatcho KweyangI am a full professor at the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I. With a PhD in Animal Biology and Physiology and specializing in Water and Environmental Microbiology, I teach Bachelor, Master and PhD students in Soil and Environment. As a researcher, the general theme of our work concerns 1- the identification of environmental bacteria that are etiologies of infectious diseases, 2- the susceptibility profile of these bacteria to conventional antibacterial agents, and 3- the characterization of resistance genes. Microbial ecotoxicology constitutes the second research area of the team (tamacho@yahoo.com)
Esther Guladys Kougang; I have a Master's degree in Medical Microbiology and I am a PhD student. I work at the National Veterinary Laboratory (LANAVET), Cameroon. I am involved in hygiene in healthcare environments, surveillance and diagnosis of animal and zoonotic diseases using molecular biology, serology, bacterial isolation, antibiotic resistance techniques; as well as quality control of veterinary drugs and foods using HPLC.estherkougang@gmail.com)
Pierre René Fotsing KwetchéAssociate Professor, Medical and Environmental Microbiology
Head of the microbiology laboratory, researcher and institutional leader of the One Health Innovative Club (SOHIC) for students
Professor of bacteriology, virology and hospital hygiene in faculties of medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine and laboratory sciences. His research interests include antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in hospitals and animal farms; food and water quality; hospital hygiene; alternative phytopharmaceuticals. prfotsingk@gmail.com /prfotsing@cum.aed-cm.org)
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