Contaminated Bucket Leads to Spread of Pathogens in Hospital

If you need one more reason why frequent training on cleaning procedures that guard against cross contamination is important, a recent study published in the American Journal of Infection Control provides proof. The study tracked the source of contamination of high-touch surfaces in patient rooms at a hospital to a mop bucket that a housekeeper had failed to empty and dry between uses, Infection Control Today reports.

The housekeeper, who rarely cleaned patient rooms and was unaware of proper protocol, used the same bucket of hospital-grade quaternary ammonium (Quat)-based disinfectant in multiple rooms. Researchers found large numbers of bacteria on high-touch surfaces, including handrails and equipment controls, which were not present before the surfaces were cleaned. The investigators were collecting cultures on these surfaces for another study.

Quat compounds are widely used as disinfectants and are highly effective when used properly. Despite the contamination, researchers found the cleaning solution still had substantial antimicrobial effectiveness, as demonstrated by its ability to prevent growth of a control strain of S. marcescens and of Staphylcococcus aureus.

As effective as quats are, the solutions can become contaminated by pathogens that cause health care-associated infections (HAIs). “If contamination of the disinfectant had not been identified, continued contamination of high-touch surfaces might have resulted in contamination of the hands of health care personnel or acquisition of the pathogens by patients,” said Dr. John Boyce, a contributor to the study.

After the investigation, the housekeeper responsible for the infraction underwent training that stressed following product manufacturer’s recommended instructions and emphasized the importance of cleaning buckets and allowing them to dry before refilling them with solution to clean different hospital areas/rooms.

Learn how you can prevent custodian-induced contamination in your facility.