Evaluation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence assay to confirm surface disinfection of biological indicators with vaporised hydrogen peroxide (VHP)

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica M. Colbert ◽  
Shawn G. Gibbs ◽  
Kendra K. Schmid ◽  
Robin High ◽  
John J. Lowe ◽  
...  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (12) ◽  
pp. 1187-1193 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Boyce ◽  
Nancy L. Havill ◽  
Heather L. Havill ◽  
Elise Mangione ◽  
Diane G. Dumigan ◽  
...  

Objective.To compare fluorescent markers with aerobic colony counts (ACCs) and an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence assay system for assessing terminal cleaning practices.Design.A prospective observational survey.Setting.A 500-bed university-affiliated community teaching hospital.Methods.In a convenience sample of 100 hospital rooms, 5 high-touch surfaces were marked with fluorescent markers before terminal cleaning and checked after cleaning to see whether the marker had been entirely or partially removed. ACC and ATP readings were performed on the same surfaces before and after terminal cleaning.Results.Overall, 378 (76%) of 500 surfaces were classified as having been cleaned according to fluorescent markers, compared with 384 (77%) according to ACC criteria and 225 (45%) according to ATP criteria. Of 382 surfaces classified as not clean according to ATP criteria before terminal cleaning, those with the marker removed were significantly more likely than those with the marker partially removed to be classified as clean according to ATP criteria (P = .003).Conclusions.Fluorescent markers are useful in determining how frequently high-touch surfaces are wiped during terminal cleaning. However, contaminated surfaces classified as clean according to fluorescent marker criteria after terminal cleaning were significantly less likely to be classified as clean according to ACC and ATP assays.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Wax ◽  
Bryan Hill

Prior studies have linked microbial contamination of intravenous (IV) ports and stopcocks with postoperative infections. Existing technologies to address contamination are not consistently utilized because of the time and effort they require. Herein, novel barrier devices were created that form a protective shell to passively prevent contact between injection sites and practitioner hands or environmental surfaces while still allowing rapid connection of a syringe for injection of medications via an opening in the shell. Prototypes were tested using a grossly contaminated environment and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-bioluminescence assay. For eight pairs of unshielded versus shielded IV ports/stopcocks, average contamination was 4102 versus 35 RLU (p < 0.02), respectively, indicating that the devices could significantly reduce IV port/stopcock contamination.


1994 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 509-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
KLAUS SEEGER ◽  
MANSEL W. GRIFFITHS

An investigation was conducted to assess the practical use of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence assay to evaluate the effectiveness of cleaning and sanitizing meat slicers in eight health care institutions. The ATP bioluminescence assay was compared to conventional swabbing techniques using standard plate count to enumerate microbial load. Assays were performed on meat slicers before use, after slicing a meat product and after sanitizing. There was a general overall agreement in results obtained by both methods but the ATP assay gave a better indication of the cleanliness of the meat slicer as it was able to detect the presence of meat residues left on the blade after improper sanitation. Results were available within 5 min using the ATP bioluminescence method, thus providing an opportunity for immediate remedial action.


2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 678-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Boyce ◽  
Nancy L. Havill ◽  
Diane G. Dumigan ◽  
Michael Golebiewski ◽  
Ola Balogun ◽  
...  

Objective.To evaluate the usefulness of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence assay for assessing the efficacy of daily hospital cleaning practices.Design.A 2-phase prospective intervention study.Setting.A university-affiliated community teaching hospital.Methods.During phase I of our study, 5 high-touch surfaces in 20 patient rooms were sampled before and after daily cleaning. Moistened swabs were used to sample these surfaces and were then plated onto routine and selective media, and aerobic colony counts were determined after 48 hours of incubation. Specialized ATP swabs were used to sample the same high-touch surfaces in the 20 patient rooms and were then placed in luminometers, and the amount of ATP present was expressed as relative light units. During phase II of our study, after in-service housekeeper educational sessions were given, the housekeepers were told in advance when ATP readings would be taken before and after cleaning.Results.During phase I, the colony counts revealed that the 5 high-touch surfaces were often not cleaned adequately. After cleaning, 24 (24%) of the 100 surface samples were still contaminated with methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus, and 16 (16%) of the 100 surface samples still yielded vancomycin-resistant enterococci. ATP readings (expressed as relative light units) revealed that only bathroom grab bars and toilet seats were significantly cleaner after daily cleaning than before. During phase II, a total of 1,013 ATP readings were obtained before and after daily cleaning in 105 rooms. The median relative light unit was significantly lower (ie, surfaces were cleaner) after cleaning than before cleaning for all 5 high-touch surfaces.Conclusions.Suboptimal cleaning practices were documented by determining aerobic colony counts and by use of an ATP bioluminescence assay. ATP readings provided quantitative evidence of improved cleanliness of high-touch surfaces after the implementation of an intervention program.


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