In Your Hands Prevention Nosocomial Gastrointestinal Infections

Targeted prevention measures and process hygiene in veterinary medicine

Prevention of nosocomial gastrointestinal infections (GI)

The aim of all hygiene measures is to reduce nosocomial infections and protect employees from occupational infections. In order to keep the infection rate as low as possible, you should consider and optimize the entire process and develop bundle strategies.

There are many causes and pathogens when it comes to hospital-acquired gastrointestinal infections. These can be triggered by parvovirosis, Clostridioides difficile, Salmonella spp., among other pathogens.

Some of these pathogens or their spores are very resistant to their environment and to disinfectant, as, depending on the disinfectant concentration used and how routinely an agent is used, they cannot be safely inactivated or killed.

A patient’s environment plays just as important a role in the likelihood of infection as do staff members’ hands and clothing. Patients must be isolated and appropriate disinfectants must be used. After discharge of the patient, a final disinfection with disinfectants such as oxygen releasing agents must be carried out.

When caring for these patients, staff must wear protective clothing, shoe covers, and gloves in addition to observing standard hygiene measures in order to prevent any spreading via the clothing (e.g., Vasco® Nitril sky-blue).

Hands should be disinfected with a fully virucidal disinfectant (e.g., Softa-Man® acute) after treatment of the patient and then washed with soap and water (e.g., Softaskin® pure) if bacterial spores are suspected.

Work utensils (medical devices, care products and disposables) should remain stationary on the isolation ward for the duration of the isolation and should be disinfected daily or after use in the same way as surfaces are disinfected.