Hospitals are known for their strict hygiene protocols, yet infections acquired in these settings remain a concern. One critical factor is the cleanliness of surfaces, which can harbor harmful bacteria. Poor sanitation in healthcare facilities can lead to significant health risks, including the spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Ensuring that surfaces are effectively decontaminated is therefore, crucial to preventing hospital acquired infections. To address this issue, an evaluation of the effectiveness of current decontamination techniques was conducted, focusing on identifying the bacterial populations present on surfaces before and after cleaning and disinfection, as well as assessing the susceptibility of these bacteria to two disinfectants.
Research at the “Université des Montagnes” Teaching Hospital (UdMTH) has demonstrated significant progress in surface decontamination, enhancing hospital hygiene and reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections. Entitled “Surface decontamination effectiveness at the Université des Montagnes Teaching Hospital: Monitoring in the biomedical analysis laboratory”, this project, led by O’Neal Dorsel Youté, Christelle Domngang Noche, Esther Guladys Kougang, and Pierre René Fotsing Kwetche from the Université des Montagnes, Cameroon, along with Blandine Pulchérie Tamatcho Kweyang from the University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon, was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a decontamination protocol in the UdMTH biomedical analysis laboratory. The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Heliyon.
The decontamination process involved a two-step protocol: cleaning with the detergent “Pax lemon” followed by disinfection using either Surfanios® or sodium hypochlorite. The team from Cameroon sought to determine the bacterial populations present on surfaces before cleaning, between cleaning and disinfection and after disinfection and to assess the susceptibility of these bacteria to commonly used disinfectants.
Before decontamination, high bacterial loads were recorded, with Staphylococcus species dominating. The cleaning step alone effectively reduced these bacterial loads to values below detectable levels, and after full decontamination, no bacteria were found on the target surfaces. The team emphasized, “High bacterial loads recorded on these surfaces before decontamination became undetectable after cleaning with the detergent ‘Pax lemon’.”
The results highlighted that nearly all bacterial isolates were susceptible to both Surfanios® and sodium hypochlorite, demonstrating the disinfectants’ effectiveness. These authors pointed out, “Overall, these findings indicated process effectiveness on the subjected bacterial populations and suggest the use of either Surfanios® or sodium hypochlorite for work surfaces hygiene.”
In terms of methodology, the researchers used a descriptive cross-sectional design. Sampling involved a wet swab method. The specimens were collected and analyzed using, for the bacterial detection and enumeration, an adjusted analyze procotol which took into consideration the nature of the surface material and standard bacterial detection protocols, identifying and characterizing bacterial isolates through macroscopy, microscopy, and various biochemical tests. Also, bacteria susceptibility tests to disinfectants were performed using adjusted analyze procotol.
The comprehensive approach underscores the importance of maintaining rigorous decontamination protocols in healthcare settings. In connection with resource availability and affordability associated to sodium hypochlorite, the team concluded that cleaning with the detergent ‘Pax lemon’ and disinfection with sodium hypochlorite may be sufficient for the types of surfaces subjected in their research.
The researchers provided further points to consider for the research moving forward. They suggested that, for environmental contamination or hygiene monitoring, it would be useful to identify contextual microbial biomarkers that can be used affordably in resource-limited contexts. Based on their results and others they have used, they have proposed the genus Staphylococcus. Also, in line with the methodology and their results, another perspective was to conduct work to improve the bacterial detection thresholds on surfaces achieved with protocols using wet swab sampling and bacterial culture methods.
Youté and his colleagues believe these findings are crucial for improving hospital hygiene practices not only at UdMTH but potentially at other healthcare facilities as well. The successful reduction of bacterial loads to undetectable levels emphasizes the effectiveness of the tested decontamination protocols, which could serve as a model for similar institutions seeking to enhance their infection control measures.
Journal Reference
Youté OD, Domngang Noche C, Tamatcho Kweyang BP, Kougang EG and Fotsing Kwetche PR. “Surface decontamination effectiveness at the ‘Université des Montagnes’ Teaching Hospital: Monitoring in the biomedical analysis laboratory” Heliyon, 2024; 10(4): e25647. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25647
About the Authors
O’Neal Dorsel Youté , hospital hygiene and the means of monitoring microbial presence in the hospital environment in resource-limited settings are among his research interests. The work presented on this platform is one of the results of his final master’s project at the Université des Montagnes. Youté graduated in 2020 with a Master’s degree in Medical Biology, specializing in Microbiology. He is also interested in antimicrobial resistance and infectious diseases issues. (yout.oneal2@gmail.com)
Blandine Pulchérie Tamatcho Kweyang; I am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I. Holder of a Ph.D/Doctorate in Animal Biology and Physiology, and specialized in Water and Environmental Microbiology, I give classes to Bachelor, Master and Doctorate students in Soil and Environment. As researcher, the general theme of our work concerns 1- the identification of environmental bacteria which are etiologies of infectious diseases, 2- the susceptibility profile of these bacteria to conventional antibacterials agents and, 3- the characterization of resistance genes. Microbial ecotoxicology constitutes the team’s second research area (tamatcho@yahoo.com)
Esther Guladys Kougang; I hold a Master’s degree in Medical Microbiology and PhD student. I am employed at the National Veterinary Laboratory (LANAVET), Cameroon. I am involved in hygiene in healthcare environments, surveillance and diagnosis of animal and zoonotic diseases using molecular biology, serology, bacterial isolation, antibiotic resistance techniques; as well as in the quality control of veterinary medicinal products and foodstuffs by HPLC. (estherkougang@gmail.com)
Pierre René Fotsing Kwetché, Associate Professor, Medical and Environmental Microbiology
Microbiology laboratory Head, Researcher, and institutional Student One Health Innovative Club (SOHIC) Lead
Lecture in Bacteriology, Virology, Hospital Hygiene to Medical, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Veterinary and Laboratory Scientist Schools. Research inclinations include antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in hospitals, animal farms; Food and Water quality; Hospital Hygiene; Alternative Phytodrugs. ( prfotsingk@gmail.com /prfotsing@cum.aed-cm.org)
