200th birthday of Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis:

In 1847 a young doctor introduced systematic hand hygiene in the Viennese maternity clinic. With his revolutionary discovery, Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis was able to dramatically reduce childbed fever – and simultaneously lay the foundation for today’s most important individual infection control measure. Read more about the early days of hand hygiene in the current issue of DISINFACTS.

DISINFACTS 2/2018

The new DISINFACTS edition explores hand hygiene through the ages. From the revolutionary findings of Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis, the hand hygiene pioneer, to the current experiences with the HARTMANN hand hygiene programme IMPULSA and a study that examined how much hundred-percent hand hygiene compliance would require.

Nipah virus: Infections in India since May

Flu-like symptoms, acute respiratory infections or even a critical encephalitis: Infections with the Nipah-virus have been occurring since mid-May mainly in south India. The virus is mainly transmitted via contaminated foods and direct contact with infected persons or infected animals, i.e. pigs or fruitbats.
Read more about the pathogen here.

World Hand Hygiene Day 2018

Sepsis is one of the most frequent causes of death throughout the world. On the annual campaign day, WHO specifically focuses on hand hygiene as preventive measure: when performed consistently and correctly, hand hygiene can reduce the risk of nosocomial infection and possibly resulting sepsis.

World Antibiotic Awareness Week, 13-19 November 2017

On the occasion of World Antibiotic Awareness Week, WHO warns against a further spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. The consistent implementation of hygiene measures provides great potential for prevention. In Germany alone, this could prevent around 10.000 MDR infections.

International Day of Patient Safety:

Patients and visitors are currently not heavily involved in infection prevention measures. However, the Robert Koch-Institute recommends to actively involve patients and visitors in measures of hand hygiene for the time of their hospital stay. Hygiene expert Prof. Dr. Axel Kramer explains, in which other situations hand hygiene measures can be reasonable.

Benefits of hand disinfection: Also proved for when at home or travelling

Contrary to current media reports, which say that it is pointless or even dangerous to perform hygienic hand disinfection at home or when travelling, it has been proven that this measure may help prevent infection. Here, you will find the recommendations of leading hygiene experts.

Noroviruses: Efficient hygiene management to prevent infection

Although being more active during the winter months, noroviruses may also cause infections and outbreaks in the summer. To prevent further spread it is important to strictly observe certain hygiene measures – with focus on hand hygiene. Learn more and download our concise infographic.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria don’t stop at country borders

The global issue was therefore on the agenda of the G20 summit. Here health ministers from around the world discussed strategies and possible solutions to fight antibiotic resistances. Learn more about the topic with our informative infographic.

How dangerous are antibiotic resistances and what is the best strategy?

Our infographic provides facts and figures.

How is your Hospital’s Hand Hygiene Compliance?

Take the test to find out the hygiene management status in your healthcare setting.

Take the Test to find out!

Success of multimodal hand hygiene programmes

Hygiene experts throughout the world agree: in order to improve compliance, strategies need to target the differing barriers and obstacles to successful hand disinfection at several levels. The success of multimodal programmes is due to a mix of, for example, training courses, the availability of products, observation, and feedback.

Studies: Multimodal hand hygiene programmes improve compliance

The effectiveness of multimodal programmes is at the focus of many scientific investigations. The studies, including a recent review, show: evidence-based multimodal interventions are capable of increasing hand hygiene compliance significantly and thus reducing the nosocomial infection rate.

Basis for good hand hygiene compliance:

Without any doubt, hand disinfection is the most important infection control measure. Still, in clinical practice, compliance rates often leave a lot to be desired. Primary prerequisites for good compliance also include the use of skin-friendly and nurturing hand disinfectants and the exemplary behaviour of individual employees.

Table: Hygiene measures in the event of MRGN

Multi-resistant Gram-negative pathogens are on the rise worldwide. Due to the limited possibilities for treating infections, hygiene measures for preventing the transmission of pathogens are key. Depending on the pathogens’ resistance patterns and the hospital area concerned, basic hygiene needs to be complemented by further measures.

Study: Disposable wipes increase surface disinfection compliance

In a comparative study, pre-soaked disposable wipes resulted in significantly better employees’ compliance than the bucket method. The disposable surface disinfection wipes also performed better in terms of time needed and costs.

Study: Improving patient protection by standardised operating procedures

A joint study of the BODE SCIENCE CENTER and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf concludes: a multimodal training strategy is able to considerably increase compliance during activities relevant to patient protection. For peripheral venous catheter (PVC) insertion, the authors developed the operating procedure considered optimal from an infection control point of view.