scholarly journals Novel transportation capsule technology could reduce the exposure risk to SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers: A feasibility study

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Basel Almuabbadi ◽  
Huda Mhawish ◽  
Bobby Marasigan ◽  
Alva Alcazar ◽  
Zahraa Alfrdan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Exposure Risk

scholarly journals Novel repurposing of a Laerdal Airway trainer to simulate aerosolisation

2021 ◽  
pp. bmjstel-2020-000802
Author(s):  
Sven Peter Oman ◽  
Scott Helgeson ◽  
Philip Lowman ◽  
Pablo Moreno Franco ◽  
Jonathan Tomshine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Airway Management ◽  
Ultraviolet Light ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Saline Solution ◽  
Size Range ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Airborne Particles ◽  
Exposure Risk ◽  
Aerosol Model ◽  
The Usa

COVID-19 has claimed over 200 000 lives in the USA and put healthcare workers at risk. Healthcare workers have an increased exposure risk from aerosol-generating procedures such as endotracheal intubation. New barrier designs such as the acrylic box and horizontal plastic drape have emerged to reduce exposure to airborne particles. Particle generating models are needed to test aerosol generating procedure (AGP) barrier designs. To achieve this, an aerosol model that generates a visible and measurable increase in particles which SARS-CoV-2 could travel on and that can also be intubated was created. The model was created using a Laerdal Airway Management Trainer (Laerdal Medical, Stavanger, Norway) combined with a nebuliser and Ambu bag-valve resuscitator (Ambu, Columbia, Maryland, USA). Nebulised Glo Germ (Glo Germ, Moab, Utah, USA) dissolved in saline solution was moved through the tubing and out of the mannequin’s mouth with compression of the Ambu bag. This nebulisation was visualised under ultraviolet light and the quantity of particles between 0.3 and 10.0 μm was measured with a particle counter. Nebulisation was visible exiting the mouth of the mannequin. Nebulised Glo Germ was visualised under ultraviolet light moving in the ambient air. Particles in the size range of 0.3–0.5 µm increased by 20-fold and 1–10 µm increased by 10 252%. SARS-CoV-2 can travel on aerosol and droplet particles and particle generating models are needed to visualise and measure exposure areas and the path particles take during AGPs. We used existing medical and simulation supplies to create a particle simulator.

scholarly journals Homegrown Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation for Hospital-Based N95 Decontamination during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Schnell ◽  
Melanie J. Harriff ◽  
Jane E. Yates ◽  
Elham Karamooz ◽  
Christopher D. Pfeiffer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Global Supply Chains ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Respiratory Protection ◽  
Exposure Risk ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Ultraviolet C

AbstractCoronavirus disease (COVID-19), the disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, is responsible for the 2020 global pandemic and characterized by high transmissibility and morbidity. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at risk of contracting COVID-19, and this risk is mitigated through the use of personal protective equipment such as N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs). The high demand for FFRs is not currently met by global supply chains, potentially placing HCWs at increased exposure risk. Effective FFR decontamination modalities exist, which could maintain respiratory protection for HCWs in the midst of the current pandemic, through the decontamination and re-use of FFRs. Here, we present a locally-implemented ultraviolet-C germicidal irradiation (UVGI)-based FFR decontamination pathway, utilizing a home-built UVGI array assembled entirely with previously existing components available at our institution. We provide recommendations on the construction of similar systems, as well as guidance and strategies towards successful institutional implementation of FFR decontamination.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Exposure Risk of Healthcare Personnel in Digestive Endoscopy: A Prospective Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Dioscoridi ◽  
Chiara Carrisi
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Confounding Factors ◽  
Digestive Endoscopy ◽  
Exposure Risk ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
A Prospective Study ◽  
Large Scale Tests

Abstract Background: Of many descriptive papers about healthcare workers’ (HW) COVID-19 infection, asymptomatic cases have not yet considered. Aims: The present study calculated the numbers of COVID-19 patients afferent to GI endoscopy and the number of positive HW using nasopharyngeal swabs (NS), serological rapid IgM/IgG tests (SRT) and serological quantitative IgG test (SQT).Methods: The study was conducted from 2ndto 30thApril 2020. All the recommended national and international indications on infection control measures were followed. Out of 1227 patients accepted, 1009 were included in the study. 38 HW were tested by NS, SRT and SQT. Descriptive statistical analyses were used to summarize the data.Results: 17 patients were diagnosed COVID-19 positive at NS. 9 patients were known positive at the time of the endoscopy and 8 were diagnosed COVID-19 positive after the procedure. Of the 38 HW, 2 were positive both to NS and SRT with IgM/IgG lines; 7 showed IgG line only at SRT, confirmed by SQT with negative NS. Other 7 HW showed not well-defined line of IgG at SRT, confirmed negative by SQT. The two cases positive to NS and IgM/IgG SRT were asymptomatic. The crude contagion’s rate (R0)was 0.41 and 1.7% of COVID-19 patients caused 19% of positive cases in HW.Conclusions: Not previously diagnosed COVID-19 patients expose HW to additional and incalculable risk of contamination. Association between different tests reduced the variability related to possible confounding factors and increases the accuracy. Since most cases in HW seem to go asymptomatic, large-scale tests using both NS and SRT for both HW and patients should be recommended to minimize the risk of in-hospital infection’s relapses.

scholarly journals Four multifaceted countrywide campaigns to promote hand hygiene in Belgian hospitals between 2005 and 2011: impact on compliance to hand hygiene

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Costers ◽  
N Viseur ◽  
B Catry ◽  
A Simon
Keyword(s):  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Performance Feedback ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Patient Contact ◽  
Intervention Period ◽  
Exposure Risk ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
The Third ◽  
Hygiene Compliance

Four consecutive one-month campaigns were organised to promote hand hygiene in Belgian hospitals between 2005 and 2011. The campaigns included a combination of reminders in wards, educational sessions for healthcare workers, promotion of alcohol-based hand rub use, increasing patient awareness, and audits with performance feedback. Prior and after each one month intervention period, the infection control teams measured hand hygiene compliance of healthcare workers by direct observation using a standardised observation roster. A total of 738,367 opportunities for hand hygiene were observed over the four campaigns. Compliance with hand hygiene significantly increased from 49.6% before to 68.6% after the intervention period for the first, from 53.2% to 69.5% for the second, from 58.0% to 69.1% for the third, and from 62.3% to 72.9% for the fourth campaign. The highest compliance rates were consistently observed in paediatric units. Compliance rates were always markedly lower among physicians than nurses. After patient contact and body fluid exposure risk, compliance rates were noticeably higher than before patient contact and performing aseptic procedures. We conclude that repeated countrywide campaigns to promote hand hygiene result in positive long-term outcomes. However, lower compliance rates among physicians compared with nurses, before patient contact, and before performing aseptic procedures remain challenges for future campaigns.

scholarly journals Construction and validation of an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation system using locally available components

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0255123
Author(s):  
Eric Schnell ◽  
Elham Karamooz ◽  
Melanie J. Harriff ◽  
Jane E. Yates ◽  
Christopher D. Pfeiffer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Respiratory Protection ◽  
Exposure Risk ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Industrial Facilities ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The Face ◽  
Ultraviolet C ◽  
Local Construction ◽  
Uv C

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, is responsible for a global pandemic characterized by high transmissibility and morbidity. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at risk of contracting COVID-19, but this risk has been mitigated through the use of personal protective equipment such as N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs). At times the high demand for FFRs has exceeded supply, placing HCWs at increased exposure risk. Effective FFR decontamination of many FFR models using ultraviolet-C germicidal irradiation (UVGI) has been well-described, and could maintain respiratory protection for HCWs in the face of supply line shortages. Here, we detail the construction of an ultraviolet-C germicidal irradiation (UVGI) device using previously existing components available at our institution. We provide data on UV-C dosage delivered with our version of this device, provide information on how users can validate the UV-C dose delivered in similarly constructed systems, and describe a simple, novel methodology to test its germicidal effectiveness using in-house reagents and equipment. As similar components are readily available in many hospitals and industrial facilities, we provide recommendations on the local construction of these systems, as well as guidance and strategies towards successful institutional implementation of FFR decontamination.

scholarly journals A Seroprevalence Study of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

Medicina ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (10) ◽  
pp. 1048
Author(s):  
Mirko Di Ruscio ◽  
Gianluigi Lunardi ◽  
Dora Buonfrate ◽  
Federico Gobbi ◽  
Giulia Bertoli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽  
Bowel Disease ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Biological Therapy ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Exposure Risk ◽  
Seroprevalence Study ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel ◽  
Second Wave

Background and Objectives: Studies have shown a lower prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including amongst those receiving biological therapy. Aims were to determine the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in IBD patients and to assess any association between seropositivity and IBD characteristics. Materials and Methods: Serum from adult IBD patients was prospectively collected between December 2020 and January 2021 and analyzed for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Information about IBD characteristics and SARS-CoV-2 exposure risk factors was collected and analyzed. Serum from non-IBD healthcare workers formed the control group. Results: 311 IBD patients on biologics and 75 on mesalazine were enrolled. Ulcerative colitis (UC) extension (p < 0.001), Crohn’s disease (CD) phenotype (p = 0.009) and use of concomitant corticosteroids (p < 0.001) were significantly different between the two IBD groups. Overall seroprevalence among IBD patients was 10.4%. The control group showed a prevalence of 13.0%, not significantly different to that of IBD patients (p = 0.145). Only a close contact with SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals and the use of non-FFP2 masks were independently associated with a higher likelihood of seropositivity amongst IBD patients. Conclusion: In IBD patients, the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies is not determined by their ongoing treatment. Disease-related characteristics are not associated with a greater risk of antibody seropositivity.

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