Potential for aerosolization of Clostridium difficile after flushing toilets: The role of toilet lids in reducing environmental contamination risk

Journal of Hospital Infection

Volumn 80, Issue 1, 2012, Pages 1-5

  Best, E L ^a   Sandoe, J A T ^a   Wilcox, M H ^a,b  

^a LEEDS GENERAL INFIRMARY   (United Kingdom)

^b UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Clostridium difficile; Hospitals; Infection control; Toilets; Transmission

Indexed keywords

AEROSOL; AIR SAMPLING; ARTICLE; BACTERIAL LOAD; BACTERIAL SPORE; BACTERIUM CONTAMINATION; CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE; CONTROLLED STUDY; FECES ANALYSIS; INFECTION CONTROL; INOCULATION; NONHUMAN; SANITATION;

AEROSOLS; AGED; AGED, 80 AND OVER; AIR MICROBIOLOGY; CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE; HEALTH FACILITIES; HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION; HUMANS; TIME FACTORS; TOILET FACILITIES;

EID: 84455169443     PISSN: 01956701     EISSN: 15322939     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2011.08.010     Document Type: Article

References (15)

1. Vonberg R.P., Kuijper E.J., Wilcox M.H., et al. Infection control measures to limit the spread of Clostridium difficile. Clin Microbiol Infect 2008, 14(Suppl. 5):2-20.
2. Mayfield J.L., Leet T., Miller J., Mundy L.M. Environmental control to reduce transmission of Clostridium difficile. Clin Infect Dis 2000, 31:995-1000.
3. Wilcox M.H., Fawley W.N., Wigglesworth N., Parnell P., Verity P., Freeman J. Comparison of the effect of detergent versus hypochlorite cleaning on environmental contamination and incidence of Clostridium difficile infection. J Hosp Infect 2003, 54:109-114.
4. Roberts K., Smith C.F., Snelling A.M., et al. Aerial dissemination of Clostridium difficile spores. BMC Infect Dis 2008, 8:7.
5. Best E.L., Fawley W.N., Parnell P., Wilcox M.H. The potential for airborne dispersal of Clostridium difficile from symptomatic patients. Clin Infect Dis 2010, 50:1450-1457.
6. Bound W.H., Atkinson R.I. Bacterial aerosol from water closets. A comparison of two types of pan and two types of cover. Lancet 1966, 1:1369-1370.
7. Newsom S.W. Microbiology of hospital toilets. Lancet 1972, 2:700-703.
8. Gerba C.P., Wallis C., Melnick J.L. Microbiological hazards of household toilets: droplet production and the fate of residual organisms. Appl Microbiol 1975, 30:229-237.
9. Barker J., Jones M.V. The potential spread of infection caused by aerosol contamination of surfaces after flushing a domestic toilet. J Appl Microbiol 2005, 99:339-347.
10. Barker J., Bloomfield S.F. Survival of Salmonella in bathrooms and toilets in domestic homes following salmonellosis. J Appl Microbiol 2000, 89:137-144.
11. Darlow H.M., Bale W.R. Infective hazards of water-closets. Lancet 1959, 1:1196-1200.
12. Louie T.J., Emery J., Krulicki W., Byrne B., Mah M. OPT-80 eliminates Clostridium difficile and is sparing of bacteroides species during treatment of C. difficile infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2009, 53:261-263.
13. Wilcox M.H., Bennett A., Best E.L., Fawley W.N., Parnell P. Spores of Clostridium difficile in hospital air. Clin Infect Dis 2010, 51:1104-1105. Reply to Snelling et al.
14. Riggs M.M., Sethi A.K., Zabarsky T.F., Eckstein E.C., Jump R.L., Donskey C.J. Asymptomatic carriers are a potential source for transmission of epidemic and nonepidemic Clostridium difficile strains among long-term care facility residents. Clin Infect Dis 2007, 45:992-998.
15. Lanzas C., Dubberke E.R., Lu Z., Reske K.A., Gröhn Y.T. Epidemiological model for Clostridium difficile transmission in healthcare settings. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2011, 32:553-561.