VIDEO: C. auris investigation at hospital offers 'great lessons' about containment
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SAN ANTONIO — Clinicians at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center learned some valuable insight about environmental containment after they identified two patients with Candida auris.
Both cases occurred in the ICU, and an investigation demonstrated the risk for cross-contamination of a wide range of surfaces, Anoshe Aslam, MPH, CIC, associate director for infection prevention and control at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, told Healio at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology annual meeting.
According to Aslam, the facility’s investigation into the two C. auris cases started with environmental testing of patient bed panels, an equipment tower behind the bed, the inside of a supply drawer, a line procedure cart housed in the ICU unit and a pupillometer.
Whole-genome sequencing of both patient samples and environmental samples determined that three surfaces — the bed, supply drawer and pupillometer — all were contaminated with C. auris.
Although “thorough and repeated” cleaning of the surfaces with bleach brought back negative cultures, Aslam said the experience shows the importance of educating clinicians on proper hygiene and cleaning guidance to prevent infections.
“This gave us some great lessons about environmental containment and management and cleaning of shared equipment and responsibility, as well as about hand hygiene inside of patient’s rooms,” Aslam said.
Reference:
- Mustafa M, et al. EOC 67. Presented at: APIC; June 3-5, 2024; San Antonio (hybrid).
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Mustafa M, et al. EOC 67. Presented at: APIC; June 3-5, 2024; San Antonio (hybrid).
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