Pilot randomized experimental study evaluating isopropyl alcohol and ultraviolet-C radiation in the disinfection of healthcare workers' smartphones.

Background: Smartphones in medical settings pose infection risks due to harbouring pathogenic bacteria.

Aim: This pilot study assessed the effectiveness duration of sanitization methods, focusing on 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes and ultraviolet-C (UVC) boxes, aiming to obtain preliminary data on the reduction in total bacterial load 3 h post-sanitization.

Methods: A randomized monocentric trial with two intervention arms (wipes and UVC boxes) was designed.

From hazard identification to risk assessment: The role of the prevention technician in the carcinogenic risk assessment for formaldehyde.

The Prevention Technician in the Environment and Workplaces (PTEW) is a health professional who works in the identification, assessment, and management of risk in living and working places. The PTEW implements specific corrective actions at reducing exposure levels to chemicals such as formaldehyde. The aim of this report was to update the formaldehyde risk assessment document (RAD).

Development of a checklist as self-assessment tool to evaluate the reprocessing of endoscopic instruments in an Italian teaching hospital.

Objective: The present study aims to develop a checklist, as a self-assessment tool, for evaluating all the items involved in the endoscope reprocessing that could be useful for the improvement and/or development of a safety endoscope reprocessing system.

Materials And Methods: A three-step modified Delphi method, with an embedded qualitative component, was adopted to develop the checklist. According to it, corrective actions were performed before its further re-administration.

Media Fill Test for Validation of Non-Radioactive Kit for Radiopharmaceutical Preparations.

Introduction: The administration of improperly prepared intravenous fluids might determine healthcare-associated infections. Quality and sterility assurance in radiopharmaceutical manufacturing products must be evaluated by media fill tests that simulate the performance of the aseptic manufacturing procedure. The aim of this study is to show a methodological modification of a specific step of media fill tests, giving an overview of economic and organizational advantages that it might bring.

A management model for Hospital Hygiene Unit: evidence-based proactive surveillance of potential environmental sources of infection in order to prevent patient's risk.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to describe a proactive surveillance system of food, water and environmental surfaces, in order to avoid Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) from hospital environment.

Methods: It is a retrospective descriptive study. The surveillance system consists of two integrated phases: pre-analytic and post-analytic.

Environmental surveillance of Legionella spp. colonization in the water system of a large academic hospital: Analysis of the four-year results on the effectiveness of the chlorine dioxide disinfection method.

The prevention of Legionella colonization of water systems is one of the goals of hospital management. Among chemical disinfection methods, chlorine dioxide (ClO) has been largely used to control Legionella spp. in water systems.

[Hygienic suitability of food and food-contact surfaces in a hospital canteen: the experience of a University Hospital in Italy].

The Authors present the results of a study performed during a time-period of two years, to evaluate the hygienic quality of ready-to-eat foods, prepared and served in a hospital catering service, and the microbiological status of food-contact surfaces. Food hygiene was evaluated using non-pathogenic indicator microorganisms. The study was part of the verification activities that the hospital Health Department considers as a priority in order to guarantee patient safety.

[Comparison of conventional culture methods and quantitative real-time PCR methods for the detection of Legionella pneumophila in water samples in a large University teaching hospital in Rome, Italy].

The aims of this study were to identify the best threshold value for the real-time PCR method in detecting the presence of Legionella pneumophila in water samples, and to evaluate the prognostic significance of negative results obtained with the molecular method. From 2011 to 2014, 77 water samples were collected from hospital wards of a large University teaching hospital in Rome (Italy) and screened for L.pneumophila by the standard culture method and by real-time PCR.

[Definition of "Safety and Hygiene Packages" as a management model for the Hospital Hygiene Service (HHS)].

The purpose of this research is to identify and formalize the Hospital Hygiene Service activities and products, evaluating them in a cost accounting management view. The ultimate aim, is to evaluate the financial adverse events prevention impact, in an Hospital Hygiene Service management. A three step methodology based on affinity grouping activities, was employed.

Legionella on board trains: effectiveness of environmental surveillance and decontamination.

Background: Legionella pneumophila is increasingly recognised as a significant cause of sporadic and epidemic community-acquired and nosocomial pneumonia. Many studies describe the frequency and severity of Legionella spp. contamination in spa pools, natural pools, hotels and ships, but there is no study analysing the environmental monitoring of Legionella on board trains.

Prospective 3-year surveillance for nosocomial and environmental Legionella pneumophila: implications for infection control.

Objectives: To perform a 3-year, prospective surveillance program for legionnaires disease (LD) in a large university hospital in Rome, and to assess the usefulness of the hospital water monitoring program in predicting the risk of nosocomial LD.

Methods: Samples from patients with new cases of nosocomial pneumonia were sent for legionella laboratory investigations. Meanwhile, water samples for bacteriological analysis were collected every 6 months from high- and medium-risk hospital wards (10 in total).

A molecular typing approach for evaluating bioaerosol exposure in wastewater treatment plant workers.

Bioaerosols associated with wastewater treatment process may represent a health risk for occupationally exposed personnel. To evaluate microbial contamination in plant workers, we compared oral cavity isolates against isolates collected from aerosol surrounding the aeration basin. Typing was performed by metabolic profile and arbitrarily primed-polymerase chain reaction.