Authors (including presenting author) :
Lam K, Lau KL, Lam F, Wong HTE, Lee FS, Chong YYG, Yim KS, Chan YM, Choy WK, Lo KMC, Ching KCK
Affiliation :
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital
Introduction :
Microorganisms on hospital surfaces can be transmitted to the hands of healthcare workers, patients, and visitors, resulting in cross-infections and epidemics. Despite the implementation of routine cleaning and precautionary measures in hospitals, effective environmental decontamination methods are still in demand. ABF pillowcases are claimed effective in reducing environmental contamination in vitro. However, this claim has not implemented in clinical setting. This study, hence, aimed to examine the effectiveness of ABF pillowcases on reduction of bacterial count.
Objectives :
To examine the effectiveness of ABF pillowcases on reduction of bacterial count.
Methodology :
Bacterial count on pillowcases was estimated by cleanliness which evaluated by the surface adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence method (ATP-value). ATP-values <250 relative light units (RLUs) were considered as clean. RLUs of pillowcases were collected and demographic data including patient’s sex, age, total hours of pillowcases usage, education level, monthly income, mobility, pillow’s supporting part, dementia status and infectious status were also recorded.
Pretest posttest experimental design was adopted. RLUs of both conventional pillowcases (control group) and ABF pillowcases after application for 3 months to 1 year (experimental group) were obtained in orthopaedic wards.
Result & Outcome :
66 conventional pillowcases and 93 ABF pillowcases were investigated. The mean age of participants was 62 (SD:18) with 69% were male. The mean hours of pillowcases usage were 172 hours (SD:340).
20% conventional pillowcases (13) and 9.7% ABF pillowcases (9) were not clean. Mean values of RLUs were 414.23 (SD:2194) and 179 (SD:777) for conventional and ABF pillowcases respectively. However, there was no statistical difference in the values of RLUs after application of ABF pillowcases. After using Spearmen rho to test for the correlation between the values of RLUs against total hours of pillowcases usage, the longer the hours of pillowcases usage would have higher values of RLUs (p<0.01). When using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U to test for any group differences between the values of RLUs and various demographic data, no statistical difference was found except patients who were bed bound would had higher values of RLUs (p=0.02).
Application of ABF pillowcases might not be able to reduce bacterial count effectively. Regular cleansing and change of pillowcases weekly (p=0.01) were recommended.
