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NEWS
CDC guidelines for disinfection and sterilisation in healthcare
and home settings
The Center for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta, US, has recently
published a draft set of Guidelines for disinfection and sterilisation
in healthcare settings. The document is based on a rigorous assessment
of the research literature (i.e. it is as far as possible evidence
based). The document acknowledges that significant healthcare
occurs in the home and devotes a section to this. The document
makes reference to the targeted approach to home hygiene and to
the IFH Guidelines on home hygiene.
Consultation
for new UK health protection agency
The UK Department of Health has published a consultation
paper and invites comments on proposals to establish a new
national agency for infection control and health protection. Creation
of the agency was a key recommendation in the Chief Medical Officer's
infectious disease strategy published in January 2002. The new
agency will act as a source of national expertise and provide
key services in a range of specified areas of health protection.
The agency will take overall responsibility for the surveillance
of infectious diseases, for commissioning and co-ordinating specialist
and reference microbiology laboratories. It will also play a key
role in the provision of a service for the prevention and control
of infectious diseases, chemical and radiation hazards in the
population.
NEW PUBLICATIONS
The home hygiene
library has just been updated with new publications related
to home hygiene.. Below are 2 abstract from the newly included
papers:
Is there a link between hygiene and prevention of infections?
One of the questions frequently asked is “can you prove that hygiene
reduces infectious disease – and if so to what extent”. In an
attempt to answer this question Dr Elaine Larsen from Columbia
University, New York has reviewed the evidence from 54 studies
published during 1980-2001 that measured the impact of hygiene
measures on infection rates. The authors concluded that implementation
or changes in personal and environmental hygiene has a positive
role in reducing risk of infection, which was generally greater
than 20% for most interventions.
Ref: The Lancet Infectious Diseases 2002;2,:103-110 Aiello AE
and Larson EL
Campylobacter in developing countries
A paper from University of Lagos, Nigeria and University of Venda,
South Africa on human campylobacteriosis in developing countries
was recently published. Campylobacter enteritis is of major public
health importance. Research on the disease has usually been conducted
in developed countries but interest in developing countries is
growing. This paper presents the epidemiologic and clinical features
of Campylobacter enteritis in developing countries relative to
developed countries:
- In developing countries Campylobacter is the most common isolated
bacteria from <2-year-old children with diarrhoea.
- Poor hygiene/sanitation and close proximity to animals contribute
to acquiring enteric pathogens such as Campylobacter.
- A study in Egypt has shown that infection could be pathogenic
regardless of the child’s age, highlighting the need for improving
prevention and control strategies.
Ref: Emerging
Infectious Diseases 2002; 8(3):237-243.
NEW
LINKS
The IFH link page has been expanded to include new
links in the sanitation, water and handwashing areas.
NEW STUDY
Antibacterial soaps reduce risk of salmonella following handling
and preparing raw chicken
Research presented at the recent American Society for
Microbiology meeting showed antibacterial hand soaps can reduce
the risk of Salmonella infection 1000 to 100,000 fold when used
after handling raw chicken. The researchers developed a risk assessment
model for predicting the likelihood of infection from exposure to
Salmonella among consumers. The probability of infection after preparing
raw chicken was calculated, and the model predicted that use of
antibacterial hand wash products after handling raw chicken reduces
the probability of infection by 3 to 5 orders of magnitude compared
to no hand washing.
Source: Press
release from American Society for Microbiology General Meeting 19-23
May 2002
UPCOMING EVENTS
The World Health Organization
European Center for Environment and Health (Bonn Office) is organizing
an international symposium on housing and health in Forli, Italy, on
November 21-23.
The symposium is open to participants with or without contributions.
Papers dealing with the topics of housing and health are
welcomed and need to be submitted until September 30th (see
call for abstracts)
For further information and registration forms, you may contact the
WHO ECEH Bonn Office, Scientific Secretariat, ph (+49)-228-2094-415,
email: forlisymp@ecehbonn.euro.who.int
IFH Board members, consultants and associate members actively promote
the IFH approach by giving lectures on the topics related to home
hygiene. In May 2002, Dr Elizabeth Scott moderated a roundtable discussion
on the IFH at the UWO Stanier symposium 2002, “Linking Hygiene to
Health: Old Foes and New Challenges”. Following from this, in September
2002, several IFH associate members will deliver a presentation at
the symposium entitled: “Are
we too clean? A question of immunity and balance”, which will
be organised by the Royal Institute of Public
Health. Click on the
title to view the pdf of the program and registration information.
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