Tailored positioning and number of hand rub dispensers: the fundamentals for optimized hand hygiene compliance.

Background: Availability of alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) dispensers at positions adapted to the work flow of healthcare workers (HCWs) is decisive in order to carry out indication-based hand rubbing. Although requirements and guidelines regarding the positioning of ABHR dispensers are in place, scientific evidence is often lacking.

Methods: In order to analyse the impact of the location and number of ABHR dispensers on hand hygiene performance, additional dispensers were systematically placed in patient rooms in a surgical 38-bed ward at Marburg University Hospital, Germany to complement the existing dispenser locations.

Efficiency analysis of rapid antigen test based SARS-CoV-2 in hospital contact tracing and screening regime: test characteristics and cost effectiveness.

In the context of the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, reliable and cost-efficient screening and testing strategies are crucial to prevent disease transmission and reduce socioeconomic losses. To assess the efficiency of a rapid antigen test (RAT)-based SARS-CoV-2 contact-tracing and screening regime, we conducted a retrospective analysis of RAT and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test data over a 1-year period, assessed test characteristics and estimated cost-effectiveness. The RAT had a sensitivity of 70.

Influence of public health and infection control interventions during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic on the in-hospital epidemiology of pathogens: in hospital versus community circulating pathogens.

Background: The first detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Germany was reported in early February 2020. In addition, extensive control measures on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been placed in Germany since March 2020. These include contact and travel restrictions, distance rules, mandatory wearing of face masks and respirators, cancellation of mass events, closures of day-care centers, schools, restaurants and shops, isolation measures, and intensified infection control measures in medical and long-term care facilities.

High Level Bioaerosol Protection against Infective Aerosols: How Medical Face Masks Compare against Respirators.

Face masks and respirators are commonly used to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases that spread by respiratory droplets and aerosols. However, there is still uncertainty about the protective effect of the different types of masks against virus containing aerosols. To determine the as-worn bioaerosol protection efficacy of different face coverings and estimate the possible protective function against airborne diseases, we challenged different respirators and medical masks on a standardized dummy head with a bioaerosol containing MS2 bacteriophages as virus surrogates.

Development of a web-based contact tracing and point-of-care-testing workflow for SARS-CoV-2 at a German University Hospital.

Introduction: In late 2019, a novel coronavirus was detected in China. Supported by its respiratory transmissibility, even by people infected without symptomatic disease, this coronavirus soon began to rapidly spread worldwide.

Background: Many countries have implemented different infection control and containment strategies due to ongoing community transmission.