Environmental Services

Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes progressive paralysis by destroying nerve cells and the spinal cord. It interrupts vision, balance and even thinking. On a suggestion from a colleague, Jeri-Anne Lyons decided to test how the disease responded to a radical therapy exposure to a certain wavelength of light called near-infrared (NIR).

Despite major efforts to keep operating rooms sterile, surgical wound infections remain a serious and stubborn problem, killing up to 8,200 patients a year in the U.S. A study by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers suggests that narrow-spectrum ultraviolet (UV) light could dramatically reduce such infections without damaging human tissue. The study, conducted in tissue culture, was published today in the journal PLOS ONE.

The aerosolized dust created by vacuums contain bacteria and mold that "could lead to adverse effects in allergic people, infants, and people with compromised immunity," according to researchers at the University of Queensland and Laval University. Their findings are published ahead of print in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

What happens when some of the brightest minds in epidemiology and infectious disease convene to discuss and debate some of the toughest issues in environmental hygiene and infection prevention? The gathering raises more questions than answers but establishes a firmer footing in the research agenda to help further address current challenges. In May, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) held its spring conference and included "Advancing Healthcare Epidemiology and the Role of the Environment" as one of several tracks exploring imperatives in epidemiology.

This Pulse provides a quick summary of some of the ideas and perspectives coming out of the 2013 Spring Conference of the Society of Healthcare Epidemiologists of America (SHEA), particularly debates regarding microbial resistance to biocides, as well as the use of sporicidal disinfectants in outbreak- and non-outbreak settings.

The Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE), of the American Hospital Association (AHA), and Kimberly-Clark announce the recipients of the second annual Heart of Healthcare Awards, honoring outstanding frontline environmental services technicians who make a difference for patients and residents across all care settings. The award is a component of the Heart of Healthcare campaign developed by AHE and Kimberly-Clark Professional, which recognizes and elevates the critical role that frontline environmental services technicians play in the healthcare environment.