Routine monitoring of adenovirus and norovirus within the health care environment

Louise Pankhurst; Elaine Cloutman-Green; Melisa Canales; Nikki D'Arcy; John C Hartley

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2014.07.028

Routine monitoring of adenovirus and norovirus within the health care environment

Am J Infect Control. 2014 Nov;42(11):1229-32. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2014.07.028. Epub 2014 Oct 30.

Authors

Louise Pankhurst¹, Elaine Cloutman-Green², Melisa Canales¹, Nikki D'Arcy¹, John C Hartley³

Affiliations

¹ CEGE, Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, London, UK.
² Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children National Health Service Foundation Trust, Cameliar Botnar Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Prevention and Control, London, UK. Electronic address: Elaine.Cloutman-Green@gosh.nhs.uk.
³ Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children National Health Service Foundation Trust, Cameliar Botnar Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Prevention and Control, London, UK.

PMID: 25444270
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2014.07.028

Abstract

This study investigated the presence of adenovirus and norovirus on ward surfaces using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to assist in the development of evidence-based infection control policy. Screening was carried out weekly for 6 months in the common areas of 2 pediatric wards. Additionally, a one-off screening was undertaken for adenovirus and norovirus on a day unit and for adenovirus only in patient cubicles while occupied. Over the 6-month screening of common areas, 2.4% of samples were positive for adenovirus or norovirus. In rooms occupied with adenovirus-infected children, all cubicle screening sites and almost all swabs were contaminated with adenovirus. In the day unit, 13% of samples were positive. Cleaning and environmental interaction strategies must therefore be designed to control nosocomial transmission of viruses outside of outbreak scenarios.

Keywords: Adenovirus; Health care environment; Health care–associated infection; Hematology and oncology; Norovirus; Pediatrics.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adenoviruses, Human / isolation & purification*
Disease Transmission, Infectious / prevention & control
Environmental Microbiology*
Epidemiological Monitoring*
Health Facilities*
Humans
Infection Control / methods
Mass Screening / methods
Norovirus / isolation & purification*
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Grants and funding

HCS/D10/010/DH_/Department of Health/United Kingdom