EPA Approves Registration of Disinfectant Designed to Kill C. diff Spores in 5 Minutes

The Clorox Company announced at the annual meeting of the Association for the Healthcare Environment (formerly known as the American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services) that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the registration of DISPATCH® Hospital Cleaner Disinfectant with Bleach portfolio to kill Clostridium difficile spores in five minutes,¹ the fastest contact time available.

The DISPATCH® portfolio contains the first bleach-based sprays registered to kill C. difficile spores,² and the premixed, ready-to-use liquids are similar to the 1:10 bleach solution strength that is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for effective disinfecting. DISPATCH® liquids contain an anticorrosive ingredient that makes it less damaging to surfaces of equipment. The DISPATCH® liquids are multipurpose, broad-spectrum cleaner disinfectants for use on hard, nonporous surfaces. Clorox is committed to providing the best portfolio of bleach products to kill C. difficile, says Craig Stevenson, vice president and general manager of the Clorox Away From Home Division. The science shows that when deployed as part of a comprehensive C. difficile prevention program, bleach is proven to kill C. difficile spores.  In the fast-paced hospital environment, we know it is critical for healthcare staff to work quickly and efficiently. The DISPATCH portfolio has the fastest EPA-registered kill time currently available for C. difficile spores³ and its ready-to-use format also delivers on speed because the liquids dont require any mixing. The DISPATCH® portfolio offering is part of a comprehensive C. difficile solution program offered by Clorox. The company also offers a C. difficile Prevention Kit featuring a protocol and checklist for terminal cleaning of C. difficile isolation rooms, information on bleach efficacy when it comes to fighting C. difficile spores, a calculator estimating the financial impact on C. difficile on acute-care facilities and C. difficile prevention training and education videos. In a recent survey of acute-care facilities, infection preventionists say that C. difficile is their top pathogen of concern.⁴

In the U.S., more than 28,000 people die from C. difficile,⁵ and there are approximately 500,000 C. difficile infections annually.⁶

A recent Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) survey found C. difficile infections cost U.S. healthcare facilities $17.6 million to $51.6 million every day.⁷

A comprehensive and coordinated approach to preventing the spread of infection in the healthcare setting includes proper surface disinfection and commitment to precautionary measures. Leading infection prevention and healthcare industry leaders recommend and support the use of bleach-based solutions to kill C. difficile spores as part of a broader prevention program. In fact, 8 out of 10 hospitals are currently using bleach or bleach-based products when C. difficile is detected.⁸

"In the hospitals in which I have worked, bleach has been used for years to help reduce the incidence of C. difficile infection," says Lillian Burns, MT, MPH, CIC, director of infection control and epidemiology at Staten Island University Hospital. DISPATCH® may be used on stainless steel, glazed ceramic tile, hard plastics, nonporous vinyl, painted surfaces, Plexiglas, laminated plastic countertops, fiberglass (sealed) surfaces, glazed porcelain and glass. It is available in 32-ounce spray, 128-ounce refill and 32-ounce pull-top.

In January 2010, Clorox acquired DISPATCH® brands, from Midland, Mich.-based Caltech Industries, a national leader in healthcare disinfecting products. Through the acquisition, the newly formed healthcare business has become a leading provider of bleach-based disinfectants in more than 2,500 acute-care facilities across the U.S.

References:

1. C. difficile claim has been registered by the Federal EPA and may not yet be available in all 50 states.

2. Based on Federal EPA registrations as of September 2010

3. Based on Federal EPA registrations as of September 2010

4. Based on a survey conducted between February and March 2010 of Infection Preventionists and Environmental Services decision-makers at 278 hospitals, when asked to identify situations in hospitals when bleach and bleach-based products are currently used.  

5. McDonald, L.C. (2008, June). The changing epidemiology of Clostridium difficile. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Denver, CO. 

 6. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2008, April). Clostridium difficile-associated disease in U.S. hospitals, 1993-2005 (Statistical Brief #50). Rockville, MD: Elixhauser, A., & Jhung, M.

7. Association for Professionals in Infection Control, Intestinal Infection Afflicts 13 of 1,000 Hospital Patients; Infection Rates 6.5-20 Times Greater Than Previous Estimates, New Study Says, November 11, 2008. of Infection Preventionists and Environmental Services decision-makers at 278 hospitals, when asked to identify situations in hospitals when bleach and bleach-based products are currently used.  

8. Based on a survey conducted between February and March 2010