Contamination of hospital surfaces can contribute to transmission of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), representing a global concern. Chemicals-based cleaning shows limitations in controlling surface bioburden, and can select resistant species. Recently, a system based on detergents containing probiotics of the spore-forming Bacillus genus (PCHS) was shown to decrease surface pathogens up to 90% more than conventional disinfectants. PCHS system was also evaluated for its impact on the drug-resistance features of the hospital surfaces microbiota, and for its safety of use. Microbial drug-resistance was analysed by a microarray detecting 84 resistance-genes in the total microbiota and in individual isolates, and confirmed by conventional antibiograms. Also, a four year microbiological surveillance was implemented, evaluating the presence of Bacillus strains in all the clinical samples of the patients admitted to PCHS-treated hospitals. PCHS use induced a drop (up to −99%) of resistant pathogen strains, rather than selecting them. Notably, detergent-Bacillus strains remained genetically unmodified even after years of continuous contact with surface pathogens, and no infections attributable to Bacillus were observed in 32,139 analysed samples from seven hospitals. Collected results showthat PCHS application can effectively reduce the number of pathogens and their drug resistance. Furthermore, the genetic stability of PCHS-Bacillus strains, together with the absence of HAI attributable to probiotic Bacilli suggest that they do not have the ability to cause infections, even in the subjects at higher risk for adverse events, such as hospitalized patients, and support the safety of environmental use of probiotics for sanitation purposes.
Impact of a Probiotic-Based Cleaning Intervention on the Microbiota Ecosystem of the Hospital Surfaces: results of the first multicentre and pre-post intervention studies (invited Main Lecture)
CASELLI, Elisabetta
2016
Abstract
Contamination of hospital surfaces can contribute to transmission of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), representing a global concern. Chemicals-based cleaning shows limitations in controlling surface bioburden, and can select resistant species. Recently, a system based on detergents containing probiotics of the spore-forming Bacillus genus (PCHS) was shown to decrease surface pathogens up to 90% more than conventional disinfectants. PCHS system was also evaluated for its impact on the drug-resistance features of the hospital surfaces microbiota, and for its safety of use. Microbial drug-resistance was analysed by a microarray detecting 84 resistance-genes in the total microbiota and in individual isolates, and confirmed by conventional antibiograms. Also, a four year microbiological surveillance was implemented, evaluating the presence of Bacillus strains in all the clinical samples of the patients admitted to PCHS-treated hospitals. PCHS use induced a drop (up to −99%) of resistant pathogen strains, rather than selecting them. Notably, detergent-Bacillus strains remained genetically unmodified even after years of continuous contact with surface pathogens, and no infections attributable to Bacillus were observed in 32,139 analysed samples from seven hospitals. Collected results showthat PCHS application can effectively reduce the number of pathogens and their drug resistance. Furthermore, the genetic stability of PCHS-Bacillus strains, together with the absence of HAI attributable to probiotic Bacilli suggest that they do not have the ability to cause infections, even in the subjects at higher risk for adverse events, such as hospitalized patients, and support the safety of environmental use of probiotics for sanitation purposes.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
