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van Arkel A, Willemsen I, Kilsdonk-Bode L, Vlamings-Wagenaars S, van Oudheusden A, Waegemaeker PD, Leroux-Roels I, Verelst M, Maas E, van Oosten A, Willemse P, van Asselen E, Klomp-Berens E, Franssen K, Van Cauwenberg E, Kluytmans J. ATP measurement as an objective method to measure environmental contamination in 9 hospitals in the Dutch/Belgian border area. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2020; 9:77. [PMID: 32466792 PMCID: PMC7254657 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-020-00730-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The objective of this study was to determine the level of environmental contamination in hospitals in the Dutch/Belgian border area, using ATP measurements. Design A cross-sectional observational survey. Methods Standardized ATP measurements were conducted in 9 hospitals on 32 hospital wards. Thirty pre-defined surfaces per hospital ward were measured with the 3 M Clean Trace NG luminometer. Results are displayed in relative light units (RLU). RLU > 1000 was considered as “not clean.” Differences in RLU values were compared between countries, hospitals, fomite groups and medical specialties. Results A total of 960 ATP measurements were performed, ranging from 60 up to 120 per hospital. The median RLU-value was 568 (range: 3–277,586) and 37.7% of the measurements were rated as not clean (RLU > 1000). There were significant differences between countries, hospitals and fomite groups. Conclusion ATP measurements can be used as a more objective approach to determine the level of environmental contamination in hospitals. Significant differences in ATP levels were found between hospitals and between countries. Also, substantial differences were found between different fomite groups. These findings offer potential targets for improvement of cleanliness in healthcare facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas van Arkel
- Department of Infection Control, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands. .,Laboratory for Microbiology and Infection Control, Elisabeth TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
| | - Ina Willemsen
- Department of Infection Control, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Anne van Oudheusden
- Department of Infection Control, Elisabeth Tweesteden Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | | | - Isabel Leroux-Roels
- Department of Infection Control, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.,Laboratory for Microbiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Diagnostic Sciences, University hospital Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Martine Verelst
- Department of Infection Control, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Evelien Maas
- Department of Infection Control, ZorgSaam Hospital, Terneuzen, The Netherlands
| | - Anita van Oosten
- Department of Infection Control, Admiraal de Ruyter Hospital, Goes, The Netherlands
| | - Patricia Willemse
- Department of Infection Control, Elkerliek Hospital, Helmond, The Netherlands
| | - Esther van Asselen
- Department of Infection Control, Elkerliek Hospital, Helmond, The Netherlands
| | - Ella Klomp-Berens
- Department of Infection Control, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Karen Franssen
- Department of Infection Control, Maastricht University Medical Center+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jan Kluytmans
- Department of Infection Control, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands.,Laboratory for Microbiology and Infection Control, Elisabeth TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands.,Microvida Laboratory for Microbiology, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands.,Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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