In The Battle Against Hospital Infections 'Crime Scene Investigation' Methods Could Help

Main Category: MRSA / Drug Resistance
Also Included In: Public Health;  Liver Disease / Hepatitis
Article Date: 23 Apr 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Inspired by the popular television drama CSI, investigators in the Netherlands have trialed methods used by forensic scientists at crime scenes to highlight infection risks in their hospital. Researchers at Deventer Hospital used Luminol, a chemical used by crime scene investigators, to detect traces of blood in their haemodialysis unit. Luminol reacts with microscopic amounts of blood to produce bright blue luminescence, which allows investigators to track invisible blood splashes in the environment. The results of this experiment are reported in a new study, published in the Journal of Hospital Infection (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jhin).

Bergervoet et al tested their apparently clean unit with Luminol. They found traces of blood on many surfaces including cupboard handles, telephones, computer keyboards, side tables and the floor, even though some of these surfaces had been cleaned. They expect that these results can be reproduced in other hospitals that plan to use Luminol in the future as described in their paper.

The group of researchers suggests that following on from their research, Luminol could be used as part of a hospital infection control regimen, in order to highlight risks associated with the contamination of the hospital environment with blood. Bergervoet et al specifically discuss the possibility that the hepatitis C virus may be transmitted via such environmental contamination.

Corresponding author Dr Paul Bergervoet of Deventer Ziekenhuis commented: "The aim of this article is to introduce this method to the infection control professionals so it can be used to monitor cleaning and disinfection procedures and alert healthcare workers to the possibility of contamination of the hospital environment with blood."

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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"Application of the forensic Luminol for blood and infection control" by PWM Bergervoet, N van Riessen, FW Sebens and WC van der Zwet,appears in the Journal of Hospital Infection, doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2008.01.026, published by Elsevier on behalf of the Hospital Infection Society.

For further commentary, please contact: Dre Paul Bergervoet, Department of Infection Control, Deventer Ziekenhuis, PO Box 5001, 7400 GC Deventer, The Netherlands.

Journal of Hospital Infection

Journal of Hospital Infection (JHI) is published by Elsevier on behalf of the Hospital Infection Society http://www.his.org.uk/ on a monthly basis. The Journal publishes original articles in the field of hospital-acquired infection and related subjects. JHI seeks to promote collaboration between the many disciplines in infection control in different countries resulting in multidisciplinary and international coverage of the latest developments in this crucial area.

About Elsevier

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Source: Catherine O'Hara
Elsevier