Hospital Hygiene How to better prevent serious hospital infections?

Are hospital infections by special hygiene measures better preventable?
Infections with hospital germs have been a growing problem in German hospitals for years. With the existing approaches to avoid infections, these can obviously only insufficiently controlled. In a large clinical study on hospital hygiene, the effect of special washes on the risk of infection will now be examined.

Physicians at the University Hospital Leipzig have asked themselves the question of how hospital infections can be effectively prevented by everyday activities. From January 2017, a study will be conducted there to investigate the effect of special washes on the risk of infection. The study is designed for a period of three years and is being conducted at 45 intensive care units throughout Germany.

Can special ablutions significantly reduce the risk of infection in clinics? (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com)

High risk in intensive care units
According to the Leipzig physicians, "patients in intensive care units are particularly at risk from hospital infections" and the hygienic precautions taken to protect them are correspondingly high. This also includes the daily washing of the severely ill patients by the nursing staff. In the context of the now launched "EFFECT study", it is being investigated whether and how the effect of the washing can be improved, according to the Leipzig University Hospital.

Washing gloves with disinfectant
In the study, the researchers specifically examine the use of special washing gloves soaked in the disinfectant octenidine in daily washes. So far, octenidine is mainly used for the disinfection of smaller body areas and whole body washes in patients with multidrug-resistant pathogens, reports the Leipzig University Hospital. The daily whole body wash with octenidine wash gloves is only occasionally used in some hospitals in Germany.

Better effect against multidrug-resistant pathogens
Study leader Prof. Iris Chaberny explains that the study is a novelty because "there is no systematic, prospective investigation on a general routine use of this drug for the washing of patients." The advantage of the remedy is that - unlike the hitherto conventional means - no allergic reactions or other side effects are known. In addition, "there are no resistance to this drug, so we promise protection against the multidrug-resistant pathogens that worry us most," emphasizes the study director.

Improve the care of seriously ill patients
During the randomized double-blind and placebo-controlled trial, the effective protection of patients remains "assured throughout the study, as all routine care routines used so far provide all necessary precautions outside the study," said Prof. Chaberny. However, the researchers also hope for approaches that will significantly improve the care of seriously ill patients. "The goal is to simplify work processes and to be able to give very concrete pointers for the practice - for example, whether disinfectant washing gloves provide better protection against infections," emphasizes the study director. (Fp)