Medical associations and expert committees urge that ethanol be approved as a virucidal active substance for use in hand antiseptics under the European Biocidal Products Regulation, without a CMR classification.

Introduction: Since 2007, the classification of ethanol under the Biocidal Products Regulation has paradoxically remained unresolved due to conflicting views among experts and authorities. Initially, there was a discussion about classifying ethanol as carcinogenic. The current proposal to extend its harmonized classification includes, among other things, categorizing it as reproductive toxicity category 2 ("suspected to have CMR potential for humans"; carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic).

Evaluation of a microscale quantitative suspension test to determine the bactericidal and yeasticidal activity of glutaral - one step to improve sustainability in disinfectant testing.

Aims: To evaluate a newly developed microscale quantitative suspension test compared to the existing standard suspension test using determination of the bactericidal and yeasticidal activity of glutaral as one step to improve the sustainability of disinfectant testing.

Methods: The testing principles of the quantitative suspension test according to VAH method 9 (comparable to EN 13727) was used as a standard suspension test using 8.0 mL product test solution, 1.

Good handling practice of parenterally administered medicines in neonatal intensive care units - position paper of an interdisciplinary working group.

This position paper, developed by an interdisciplinary expert group of neonatologists, paediatric infectious disease physicians, clinical pharmacists and specialists for the prevention and control of nosocomial infections, describes the "Good handling practice of medicines parenterally administered to patients on NICUs". It takes equal account of patient safety and the specialties of neonatal intensive care regarding feasibility and proportionality. The overall concept is perceived as a "learning system", in which open communication within the health-care team relating to medication errors and critical incidents enables continuous development and improvement to ensure patient safety.

Environmental Contamination and Persistence of Clostridioides difficile in Hospital Wastewater Systems.

Clostridioides difficile produces an environmentally resistant dormant spore morphotype that infected patients shed to the hospital environment. C. difficile spores persist in clinical reservoirs that are not targeted by hospital routine cleaning protocols.

Hygiene and disinfection measures for monkeypox virus infections.

In Germany, recommendations on infection prevention and control of current virus outbreaks are given as communications by the Association for Applied Hygiene e.V. (VAH) together with the joint Disinfectant Commission of the German Association for the Control of Virus Diseases e.

Antibiotic concentrations in raw hospital wastewater surpass minimal selective and minimum inhibitory concentrations of resistant Acinetobacter baylyi strains.

Antibiotics are essential for modern medicine, they are employed frequently in hospitals and, therefore, present in hospital wastewater. Even in concentrations, that are lower than the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of susceptible bacteria, antibiotics may exert an influence and select resistant bacteria, if they exceed the MSCs (minimal selective concentrations) of resistant strains. Here, we compare the MSCs of fluorescently labelled Acinetobacter baylyi strains harboring spontaneous resistance mutations or a resistance plasmid with antibiotic concentrations determined in hospital wastewater.

Recommendation of the German Society of Hospital Hygiene (DGKH): Prevention of COVID-19 by virucidal gargling and virucidal nasal spray - updated version April 2022.

The German Society of Hospital Hygiene develops guidelines, recommendations and standard operation procedures on a voluntary basis, published on the DGKH-website (https://www.krankenhaushygiene.de/).

Ethanol is indispensable for virucidal hand antisepsis: memorandum from the alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) Task Force, WHO Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety, and the Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention (KRINKO), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.

Background: The approval of ethanol by the Biocidal Products Regulation has been under evaluation since 2007. This follows concern over alcohol uptake from ethanol-based hand rubs (EBHR). If ethanol is classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), then this would affect infection prevention and control practices.

SARS-CoV-2 in Environmental Samples of Quarantined Households.

The role of environmental transmission of SARS-CoV-2 remains unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether viral contamination of air, wastewater, and surfaces in quarantined households result in a higher risk for exposed persons. For this study, a source population of 21 households under quarantine conditions with at least one person who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA were randomly selected from a community in North Rhine-Westphalia in March 2020.

Dynamics, outcomes and prerequisites of the first SARS-CoV-2 superspreading event in Germany in February 2020: a cross-sectional epidemiological study.

Objectives: The first German SARS-CoV-2 outbreak was a superspreading event in Gangelt, North Rhine-Westphalia, during indoor carnival festivities called 'Kappensitzung' (15 February 2020). We determined SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positivity rate, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, and analysed the conditions and dynamics of superspreading, including ventilation, setting dimensions, distance from infected persons and behavioural patterns.

Design: In a cross-sectional epidemiological study (51 days postevent), participants were asked to give blood, pharyngeal swabs and complete self-administered questionnaires.

A European approach to infection prevention and control goals.

The current pandemic caused by COVID-19 has underlined the importance of a joint effort and approach to ensure patient and health care worker safety in medical care throughout Europe. In addition, the recent flood disasters in Germany and other countries called for immediate joint action, in this case with regard to the prevention of water-borne infections. Environmental disasters will increase with consequences for hospitals and nursing homes.

Dissemination of carbapenem resistant bacteria from hospital wastewater into the environment.

Infections with antibiotic resistant pathogens threaten lives and cause substantial costs. For effective interventions, knowledge of the transmission paths of resistant bacteria to humans is essential. In this study, carbapenem resistant bacteria were isolated from the wastewater of a maximum care hospital during a period of two years, starting in the patient rooms and following the sewer system to the effluent of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).

LAMP-Seq enables sensitive, multiplexed COVID-19 diagnostics using molecular barcoding.

Frequent testing of large population groups combined with contact tracing and isolation measures will be crucial for containing Coronavirus Disease 2019 outbreaks. Here we present LAMP-Seq, a modified, highly scalable reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method. Unpurified biosamples are barcoded and amplified in a single heat step, and pooled products are analyzed en masse by sequencing.

[Lead in drinking water-an old problem, a new EU directive].

Background: Lead pipes have been used in drinking water installations for a long time. Only since 1973 have their use in new buildings been strongly discouraged; nevertheless, they are still found in old buildings. Furthermore, lead-containing alloys are still used today in components such as fittings.

Air filtration as a tool for the reduction of viral aerosols.

For testing the effectiveness of air purification devices in regard to the reduction of virus-containing aerosols, a test method involving test viruses has been lacking until now. The use of bacteriophages (phiX174 phages) is a method to test the efficiency of air purification devices under experimental conditions. Using air purifiers with a HEPA filter H14, a 4.

Chemical disinfection in healthcare settings: critical aspects for the development of global strategies.

Chemical disinfection is an indispensable means of preventing infection. This holds true for healthcare settings, but also for all other settings where transmission of pathogens poses a potential health risk to humans and/or animals. Research on how to ensure effectiveness of disinfectants and the process of disinfection, as well as on when, how and where to implement disinfection precautions is an ongoing challenge requiring an interdisciplinary team effort.

Infection fatality rate of SARS-CoV2 in a super-spreading event in Germany.

A SARS-CoV2 super-spreading event occurred during carnival in a small town in Germany. Due to the rapidly imposed lockdown and its relatively closed community, this town was seen as an ideal model to investigate the infection fatality rate (IFR). Here, a 7-day seroepidemiological observational study was performed to collect information and biomaterials from a random, household-based study population.

Clinically relevant antibiotic-resistant bacteria in aquatic environments - An optimized culture-based approach.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant clinically relevant facultative pathogenic bacteria in the environment has become one of the most important global health challenges. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) have been found in surface waters and wastewater treatment plants. Drinking water guidelines and the EU bathing water directive 2006/7/EC include the surveillance of defined microbiological parameters on species level, while the monitoring of ARB is missing in all existing guidelines.

SARS-CoV-2 outbreak investigation in a German meat processing plant.

We describe a multifactorial investigation of a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in a large meat processing complex in Germany. Infection event timing, spatial, climate and ventilation conditions in the processing plant, sharing of living quarters and transport, and viral genome sequences were analyzed. Our results suggest that a single index case transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to co-workers over distances of more than 8 m, within a confined work area in which air is constantly recirculated and cooled.

Measures to maintain regular operations and prevent outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in childcare facilities or schools under pandemic conditions and co-circulation of other respiratory pathogens.

After the lockdown and the end of the summer holidays, day-cares and schools need to be reopened and (despite the continued circulation of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2) kept open. The need for opening up arises from the right of children to education, participation, support and care. This is possible if appropriate hygiene measures are implemented and community transmission remains stable.