Impact of sink design on bacterial transmission from hospital sink drains to the surrounding sink environment tested using a fluorescent marker

J. Pirzadian; T. Souhoka; M. Herweijer; L. van Heel; W. J.B. van Wamel; R. H.M. Goossens; J. A. Severin; M. C. Vos

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2022.04.017

Impact of sink design on bacterial transmission from hospital sink drains to the surrounding sink environment tested using a fluorescent marker

J. Pirzadian, T. Souhoka, M. Herweijer, L. van Heel, W. J.B. van Wamel, R. H.M. Goossens, J. A. Severin, M. C. Vos^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

1 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In hospitals, sinks act as reservoirs for bacterial pathogens. To assess the extent of splashing, fluorescein dye was added to four hospital sinks previously involved in pathogen dispersal to the environment and/or transmission to patients, and one sink that was not. Applying dye to the p-trap or tailpiece did not result in any fluorescent droplets outside of the drain. When applied to the drain, droplets were found in all but one wash basin, and this was more common in the absence of a drain plug. Sink design considerations to install drain plugs, reduce dripping and offset the tap may help to prevent transmission from drains.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	39-43
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Hospital Infection
Volume	127
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2022.04.017
Publication status	Published - 1 Sep 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was funded by an unrestricted grant from the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Strategic Alliance, Centre for Safety and Security. Sponsors were not involved in study design; collection, analysis and interpretation of data; writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the article for publication.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jhin.2022.04.017Licence: CC BY

Impact of sink design on bacterial transmission from hospital sink drains to the surrounding sink environment tested using a fluorescent markerFinal published version, 224 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{ae00fa17b1614b2085ddc496b79b5e25,

title = "Impact of sink design on bacterial transmission from hospital sink drains to the surrounding sink environment tested using a fluorescent marker",

abstract = "In hospitals, sinks act as reservoirs for bacterial pathogens. To assess the extent of splashing, fluorescein dye was added to four hospital sinks previously involved in pathogen dispersal to the environment and/or transmission to patients, and one sink that was not. Applying dye to the p-trap or tailpiece did not result in any fluorescent droplets outside of the drain. When applied to the drain, droplets were found in all but one wash basin, and this was more common in the absence of a drain plug. Sink design considerations to install drain plugs, reduce dripping and offset the tap may help to prevent transmission from drains.",

author = "J. Pirzadian and T. Souhoka and M. Herweijer and {van Heel}, L. and {van Wamel}, {W. J.B.} and Goossens, {R. H.M.} and Severin, {J. A.} and Vos, {M. C.}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was funded by an unrestricted grant from the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Strategic Alliance, Centre for Safety and Security. Sponsors were not involved in study design; collection, analysis and interpretation of data; writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the article for publication. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Author(s)",

year = "2022",

month = sep,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.jhin.2022.04.017",

language = "English",

volume = "127",

pages = "39--43",

journal = "Journal of Hospital Infection",

issn = "0195-6701",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of sink design on bacterial transmission from hospital sink drains to the surrounding sink environment tested using a fluorescent marker

AU - Pirzadian, J.

AU - Souhoka, T.

AU - Herweijer, M.

AU - van Heel, L.

AU - van Wamel, W. J.B.

AU - Goossens, R. H.M.

AU - Severin, J. A.

AU - Vos, M. C.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was funded by an unrestricted grant from the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Strategic Alliance, Centre for Safety and Security. Sponsors were not involved in study design; collection, analysis and interpretation of data; writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the article for publication. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)

PY - 2022/9/1

Y1 - 2022/9/1

N2 - In hospitals, sinks act as reservoirs for bacterial pathogens. To assess the extent of splashing, fluorescein dye was added to four hospital sinks previously involved in pathogen dispersal to the environment and/or transmission to patients, and one sink that was not. Applying dye to the p-trap or tailpiece did not result in any fluorescent droplets outside of the drain. When applied to the drain, droplets were found in all but one wash basin, and this was more common in the absence of a drain plug. Sink design considerations to install drain plugs, reduce dripping and offset the tap may help to prevent transmission from drains.

AB - In hospitals, sinks act as reservoirs for bacterial pathogens. To assess the extent of splashing, fluorescein dye was added to four hospital sinks previously involved in pathogen dispersal to the environment and/or transmission to patients, and one sink that was not. Applying dye to the p-trap or tailpiece did not result in any fluorescent droplets outside of the drain. When applied to the drain, droplets were found in all but one wash basin, and this was more common in the absence of a drain plug. Sink design considerations to install drain plugs, reduce dripping and offset the tap may help to prevent transmission from drains.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85133452831&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.04.017

DO - 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.04.017

M3 - Article

C2 - 35577265

AN - SCOPUS:85133452831

VL - 127

SP - 39

EP - 43

JO - Journal of Hospital Infection

JF - Journal of Hospital Infection

SN - 0195-6701

ER -

Impact of sink design on bacterial transmission from hospital sink drains to the surrounding sink environment tested using a fluorescent marker

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this