Unveiling the Potential of Antimicrobial Hospital Curtains in Reducing Bacterial Contamination
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) pose a significant threat to patient safety and place a substantial burden on healthcare systems worldwide. While much emphasis has been placed on hand hygiene and surface disinfection, a multicenter study shed light on the role of privacy curtains in the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) and the potential of antimicrobial curtains in reducing this risk.
The study, conducted by researchers in Hong Kong, investigated the effectiveness of two types of antimicrobial privacy curtains compared to standard curtains in clinical settings. The findings were striking – standard curtains were rapidly and frequently contaminated with MDROs, with a median time to first contamination of just 5 days.
In contrast, antimicrobial curtain B, made with a blend of quaternary ammonium chlorides (QAC) and polyorganosiloxane, demonstrated a remarkable ability to reduce the bioburden and MDRO contamination, even after extended use in an active clinical setting. The median time to first MDRO contamination for antimicrobial curtain B was an impressive 138 days, or about 19 weeks.
Interestingly, antimicrobial curtain A, made with silver-impregnated fabric, failed to show significant antibacterial efficacy compared to standard curtains after prolonged use. This underscores the importance of validating the performance of antimicrobial products in real-world clinical settings, as laboratory tests may not always translate to effective performance in practice.
The implications of these findings are significant. By replacing standard curtains with antimicrobial curtains like those made with QAC and polyorganosiloxane, healthcare facilities could potentially:
Reduce the risk of MDRO transmission from contaminated curtains to patients
Extend the time between curtain changes, reducing labor and laundering costs
Improve patient safety by eliminating a potential reservoir of harmful pathogens
However, regular monitoring of curtain contamination and susceptibility testing of recovered microbes will be essential to ensure the long-term effectiveness of these products.
In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of antimicrobial hospital curtains as a tool in the fight against HAIs. By carefully selecting and implementing effective antimicrobial curtains, healthcare facilities may be able to reduce the risk of MDRO transmission, improve patient outcomes, and realize cost savings. As we continue to search for ways to combat the spread of MDROs, innovations like antimicrobial curtains offer a promising avenue for enhancing infection prevention and control efforts.
Source: Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol 2019, 40, 164–170. DOI: 10.1017/ice.2018.315
