Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T19:44:45.320Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Hospital Infection Prevention and Control Issues Relevant to Extensive Floods

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Anucha Apisarnthanarak ,
Linda M. Mundy ,
Thana Khawcharoenporn  and
C. Glen Mayhall
Anucha Apisarnthanarak*
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Thammasat University Hospital, Pratumthani, Thailand, 12120
Linda M. Mundy
Affiliation:
WWEpidemiology, GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, Pennsylvania 19426
Thana Khawcharoenporn
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Thammasat University Hospital, Pratumthani, Thailand, 12120
C. Glen Mayhall
Affiliation:
Department of Healthcare Epidemiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555
*
Division of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University Hospital, Pathumthani, Thailand, 12120 ([email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The devastating clinical and economic implications of floods exemplify the need for effective global infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies for natural disasters. Reopening of hospitals after excessive flooding requires a balance between meeting the medical needs of the surrounding communities and restoration of a safe hospital environment. Postflood hospital preparedness plans are a key issue for infection control epidemiologists, healthcare providers, patients, and hospital administrators. We provide recent IPC experiences related to reopening of a hospital after extensive black-water floods necessitated hospital closures in Thailand and the United States. These experiences provide a foundation for the future design, execution, and analysis of black-water flood preparedness plans by IPC stakeholders.

Type
Review Article
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 34 , Issue 2 , February 2013 , pp. 200 - 206
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Du, W, FitzGerald, GJ, Clark, M, Hou, XY. Health impacts of floods. Prehosp Disaster Med 2010;25:265–272.Google Scholar
2. Taylor, J, Lai, KM, Davies, M, Clifton, D, Ridley, I, Biddulph, P. Flood management: prediction of microbial contamination in large-scale floods in urban environments. Environ Int 2011;37:1019–1029.Google Scholar
3. Tapsell, LC, Probst, Y, Lawrence, M, Friel, S, Flood, V, McMahon, A, Butler, R. Food and nutrition security in the Australia-New Zealand region: impact of climate change. World Rev Natr Diet 2011;102:192–200.Google Scholar
4. Barbeau, DN, Grimsley, LF, White, LE, El-Dahr, JM, Lichtveld, M. Mold exposure and health effects following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Annu Rev Public Health 2010;31:165–178.Google Scholar
5. Ivers, LC, Ryan, ET. Infectious diseases of severe weather-related and flood-related natural disasters. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2006;19:408–414.Google Scholar
6. Scholastic.com. Timeline of major flood in world history. http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jspTid = 3754082 Accessed April 20, 2012.Google Scholar
7. Euripidou, E, Murray, V. Public health impacts of floods and chemical contamination. J Public Health (Oxf) 2004;26:376–383.Google Scholar
8. Hunt, JC. Flood in a changing climate: a review. Philos Transanct A Math Phys Eng Sci 2002;360:1531–1543.Google Scholar
9. Bubeck, P, Botzen, WJ, Aerts, JC. A review of risk perceptions and other factors that influence flood mitigation behavior. Risk Anal 2012;32(9):1481–1495.Google Scholar
10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Checklist for infection control concerns when reopening healthcare facilities closed due to extensive water and wind damage, http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/reopen_healthfacilities_checklist.asp. Accessed October 21, 2011.Google Scholar
11. Black, H. Unnatural disaster: human factors in the Mississippi floods. Environ Health Perspect 2008;116:A390-A393.Google Scholar
12. Washington State Department of Health. Flood cleanup. http://www.doh.wa.gov/Topics/floods_cleanup.htm. Accessed April 20, 2012.Google Scholar
13. Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care. Best practices for environmental cleaning for prevention and control of infections. http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/infectious/diseases/ic_enviro_clean.html.Google Scholar
14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for environmental infection control in health-care facilities. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5210al.htm Accessed April 20, 2012.Google Scholar
15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Remediation and infection control considerations for reopening healthcare facilities closed due to extensive water and wind damage. http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/reopen_healthfacilities.asp Accessed April 20, 2012.Google Scholar
16. Spaulding, EH. Chemical disinfection of medical and surgical materials. In: Lawrence, C, Block, SS, eds. Disinfection Sterilization and Preservation. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger, 1968:517–531.Google Scholar
17. Bush, RK, Portnoy, JM, Saxon, A, Terr, AI, Wood, RA. The medical effects of mold exposure. J Clin Immunol 2006;117:326–333.Google Scholar
18. Knutsen, AP, Bush, RK, Demain, JG, et al. Fungi and allergic lower respiratory tract diseases. J Clin Immunol 2012; 129: 280–291.Google Scholar
19. Environmental Protection Agency. Mold remediation in schools and commercial buildings: investigating, evaluating, and remediating moisture and mold problems. http://www.epa.gov/mold/i-e-r.html. Accessed April 20, 2012.Google Scholar
20. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Building assessment, restoration, demolition: mold remediation. http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hurricane/mold.html#damaged. Accessed April 20, 2012.Google Scholar
21. New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Guidelines on assessment and remediation of fungi in indoor environments. http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/epi/moldrptl.shtml. Accessed April 20, 2012.Google Scholar
22. Panagopoulou, P, Filioti, J, Petrikkos, G, et al. Environmental surveillance of filamentous fungi in three tertiary care hospitals in Greece. J Hosp Infect 2002;52:185–191.Google Scholar
23. Hao, ZF, Ao, JH, Hao, F, Yang, RY, Zhu, H, Zhang, J. Environment surveillance of filamentous fungi in two tertiary care hospitals in China. Chin Med J 2011;124:1970–1975.Google Scholar
24. Yassin, AF, Almouqatea, S. Assessment of airborne bacteria and fungi in an indoor and outdoor environment. Int J Environ Sci Tech 2010;7:535–544.Google Scholar
25. Streifel, AJ. Design and maintenance of hospital ventilation systems and the prevention of airborne healthcare-associated infections. In: Mayhall, CG, ed. Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2012.Google Scholar
26. Khawcharoenporn, T, Apisarnthanarak, A, Thongphubeth, K, et al. Post-flood measurement of fungal bioaerosol in a resource-limited hospital setting: can settle plate method be used? J Hosp Infect (in press).Google Scholar
27. Rutala, WA, Gergen, MF, Weber, DJ. Room decontamination with UV radiation. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2010;31:1025–1029.Google Scholar
28. Kujundzic, E, Matalkah, F, Howard, CJ, Hernandez, M, Miller, SL. UV air cleaners and upper-room air ultraviolet germicidal irradiation for controlling airborne bacteria and fungal spores. J Occup Environ Hyg 2006;3:536–546.Google Scholar
29. Marty, N, Cavalle, L, Conil, J, Roques, C. Dry fog disinfection: an assessment of microbiological efficacy and practical advantages. Revue Hygienes 2007;15:317–320.Google Scholar
30. Koburger, T, Below, H, Dornquast, T, Kramer, A. Decontamination of room air and adjoining wall surfaces by nebulizing hydrogen peroxide. GMS Krankenhhyg Interdiszip 2011;6:Doc09.Google Scholar
31. Begum, M, Hocking, AD, Miskelly, D. Inactivation of food spoilage fungi by ultra violet (UVC) irradiation. Int J Food Microbiol 2009;129:74–77.Google Scholar
32. University of Pennsylvania Environmental Health and Radiation Safety. Ultraviolet radiation hazards, http://www.ehrs.upenn.edu /programs/labsafety/chp/sop/uv_safety.html. Accessed April 20, 2012.Google Scholar
33. Infection Control Today. Area decontamination technology. http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/reports/2011/11/decontamination.aspx. Accessed April 20, 2012.Google Scholar
34. Kouadio, IK, Aljunid, S, Kamigaki, T, Hammad, K, Oshitani, H. Infectious diseases following natural disasters: prevention and control measures. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2012;10:95–104.Google Scholar
35. Ivers, LC, Ryan, ET. Infectious diseases of severe weather-related and flood-related natural disasters. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2006;19:408–414.Google Scholar
36. Apisarnthanarak, A, Khawcharoenporn, T, Mundy, LM. Flood-associated melioidosis in a non-endemic region of Thailand. Int J Infect Dis 2012;16:e409–e410.Google Scholar
37. Apisarnthanarak, A, Khawcharoenporn, T, Thongphubeth, K, et al. Post-flood pseudofungemia due to Penicillium species. Clin Infect Dis 2012;55:e9–e11.Google Scholar
38. Apisarnthanarak, A, Eimsitrakoon, T, Khawcharoenporn, T, Rakskul, P, Mundy, LM. Neurological investigation of post-flood pseudo-meningitis due to mold. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012;33:758–759.Google Scholar
39. Peláez, T, Munoz, P, Guinea, J, et al. Outbreak of invasive aspergillosis after major heart surgery caused by spores in the air of the intensive care unit. Clin Infect Dis 2012;54:e24–e31.Google Scholar
40. Brown-Elliott, BA, Wallace, RJ Jr, Tichindelean, C, et al. Five-year outbreak of communityand hospital-acquired Mycobacterium porcinum infections related to public water supplies. J Clin Microbiol 2011;49:4231–4238.Google Scholar
41. Haupt, TE, Heffernan, RT, Kazmierczak, JJ, et al. An outbreak of legionnaires disease associated with a decorative water wall fountain in a hospital. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012;33:185–191.Google Scholar
42. Apisarnthanarak, A, Khawcharoenporn, T, Mundy, LM. Black water floods and hospital-based post-flood mold investigations. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012;33:1266.Google Scholar
43. Apisarnthanarak, A, Li Yang, H, Warren, DK. Termination of an extreme-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak in a hospital after flooding: lessons learned. Clin Infect Dis 2012;55:1589–1590.Google Scholar
44. Hargreaves, J, Shireley, L, Hansen, S, et al. Bacterial contamination associated with electronic faucets: a new risk for healthcare facility. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2001;22:202–205.Google Scholar
45. The Sphere Project. The Sphere Handbook: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response, http://www.sphereproject.org/handbook/. Accessed April 20, 2012.Google Scholar
46. Apisarnthanarak, A, Khawcharoenporn, T, Woeltje, K, Warren, DK. Hospital flood preparedness: a survey of 15 provinces in central Thailand. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012;33:953–954.Google Scholar
47. Hewlett, AL, Tichindelean, C, Falk, P, Mayhall, CG. Air quality evaluation and remediation of the University of Texas Medical Branch following Hurricane Ike. In: Program and Abstracts of the Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections 2010; March 18-22, 2010; Atlanta, GA. Abstract 771.Google Scholar
48. Apisarnthanarak, A, Khawcharoenporn, T, Mundy, LM. Air quality of a hospital after closure for black water flood: an occupational health concern? Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2012;33:1285–1286.Google Scholar