Microbiology Research Unit, Dublin Dental University School and Hospital, University of Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
J Hosp Infect. 2012 Apr;80(4):288-92. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2012.01.011. Epub 2012 Feb 29.
Contaminated washbasin taps and output water are an important source of bacteria that may cause nosocomial infection. A five-week pretreatment study of hot and cold water from 15 washbasin taps at Dublin Dental Hospital showed consistently heavy contamination by aerobic heterotrophic bacteria: mean bacterial counts of 482.5 [standard deviation (SD) 293] colony-forming units (cfu)/mL and 5022 (SD 4322) cfu/mL, respectively.
To minimize microbial contamination of washbasin taps and output water in the long term using the electrochemically generated, pH-neutral disinfectant, Ecasol.
Initially, the 15,000-L water tank providing cold and hot water to washbasins, calorifiers and the distribution network were drained and sediment was removed. The system was shock-dosed with Ecasol 100 ppm to eradicate gross contamination and biofilms. Thereafter, tank water was automatically maintained at Ecasol 2.5 ppm prior to distribution. The microbiological quality of water from five sentinel washbasin taps was monitored weekly for 54 weeks using R2A agar.
The mean counts for hot, cold, mains and tank water during the 54-week study period were 1 (SD 4) cfu/mL, 2 (SD 4) cfu/mL, 205 (SD 160) cfu/mL and 0 cfu/mL, respectively. Swab samples of 33/40 taps, each tested on three separate occasions, yielded no growth on R2A agar, while five samples yielded <20 cfu/swab and two samples yielded >200 cfu/swab. No detrimental effects due to Ecasol were observed in the water network.
Ecasol consistently minimized bacterial contamination of washbasin taps and output water in a dental hospital setting.
污染的洗脸盆龙头和出水是可能导致医院感染的细菌的重要来源。都柏林牙科医院的 15 个洗脸盆龙头的冷热水经过五周的预处理研究表明，好氧异养菌的污染一直很严重：平均细菌计数分别为 482.5（标准差 293）菌落形成单位（cfu）/mL 和 5022（标准差 4322）cfu/mL。
长期使用电化学产生的中性 pH 消毒剂 Ecasol 最大限度地减少洗脸盆龙头和出水的微生物污染。
最初，为洗脸盆、热水器和分配网络提供冷热水的 15000 升水箱被排空并清除沉淀物。该系统用 Ecasol 100ppm 进行冲击处理，以消除严重污染和生物膜。此后，在分配之前，水箱水自动维持在 Ecasol 2.5ppm。在 54 周的研究期间，每周使用 R2A 琼脂监测来自五个监测龙头的水的微生物质量。
在 54 周的研究期间，热水、冷水、总水管和水箱水的平均计数分别为 1（标准差 4）cfu/mL、2（标准差 4）cfu/mL、205（标准差 160）cfu/mL 和 0cfu/mL。对 40 个龙头中的 33 个进行了三次单独测试的棉签样本在 R2A 琼脂上均未生长，而 5 个样本的产量<20cfu/棉签，2 个样本的产量>200cfu/棉签。在水网络中未观察到 Ecasol 的不利影响。
Ecasol 始终能最大限度地减少牙科医院环境中洗脸盆龙头和出水的细菌污染。
