Publications by authors named "Emma Brackens"
Efficacy of copper-impregnated antimicrobial surfaces against spores.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol
December 2024
Objective: () is one of the most common causes of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Elimination of spores is difficult as they are resistant to common hospital-grade disinfectants. Copper-impregnated surfaces provide continuous reduction of multiple pathogens, potentially lowering the risk of infections.
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- Wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 was studied in 8 Veterans Affairs nursing homes to see if it could provide early warning of COVID-19 cases among residents and staff.
- The pilot study involved daily sampling of wastewater for 6 months and revealed that all homes tested positive for the virus, aligning with COVID-19 infections reported in occupants.
- However, the method demonstrated limited sensitivity, detecting only 60% of COVID-19 cases in residents and 46% in employees, suggesting that while it could aid infection control, it has significant limitations.
Objectives: Hospitals and healthcare facilities rely largely on isolation and environmental disinfection to prevent transmission of pathogens. The use of no-touch technology is an accepted practice for environmental decontamination in medical care facilities, but little has been published about the effect of ultraviolet light generated by a portable pulsed-xenon device use on Mycobacteria. We used which is more resistant to ultraviolet radiation and less virulent than , to determine the effectiveness of portable pulsed-xenon devices on in a laboratory environment.
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