Hospital Vacuum Cleaners - Inhalation Risk?

[GhostRN]

I have always wondered if they pose a risk - and now its even more of a concern... I'll continue the search for evidence & pass the info onto our local & state HD & to CDC. If you feel strongly, please communicate concerns also.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>The hospital vacuum cleaner: mechanism for redistributing microbial contaminants. - Brown DG - <CITE>J Environ Health</CITE> - 01-JAN-1980; 42(4): 192-6 (MEDLINE is the source for the citation and abstract of this record )
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- END header -->
<!-- ---------------------------------- --><!-- SCCS Medlars.tmpl @(#) /dvlpmnt/sccs/prod/mdc/tmplt/journal/s.Medlars.tmpl 1.3 09/01/08 -->Abstract:

Carpeting patient care units in acute care hospitals is increasingly common. While the safety of carpeting has been heavily debated, there has been little epidemiological data to document risk to the hospitalized patient. With the report of a two-year study documenting human contamination and potential colonization by microorganisms spread from hospital carpeting, a need was established to document modes of transmission. The objective of this study was to define the potential of hospital vacuums for dispersing particles of a size comparable to the microbial cell. Both filter efficiency and vacuum exhaust turbulence are evaluated. Results document that of eight units claiming high efficiency filtration, none was capable of meeting advertising claims. In addition, exhaust air velocities for one unit reached 175 feet per minute at 30 inches above the floor.
Citation:

The hospital vacuum cleaner: mechanism for redistributing microbial contaminants.
Brown DG - <CITE>J Environ Health</CITE> - 01-JAN-1980; 42(4): 192-6
MEDLINE is the source for the citation and abstract of this record

NLM Citation ID:
10245501 (PubMed ID)
Full Source Title:
<CITE>Journal of environmental health</CITE>
Publication Type:
Journal Article
Language:
English
Authors:
Brown DG; Schatzle K; Gable T

 

[GhostRN]

Re: Hospital Vacuum Cleaners - Inhalation Risk?

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<!-- CONTENT TITLE BEGINS | DEBUT DU TITRE DU CONTENU --><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="content" --><!-- CONTENT BEGINS | DEBUT DU CONTENU -->Fungal Contamination in Public Buildings: Health Effects and Investigation Methods

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2.2.2 Invasive mycoses



The outbreak investigation revealed that a contaminated vacuum cleaner used in the ward dispersed a bioaerosol; the Aspergillus concentration close to that vacuum cleaner was 62 CFU/m<SUP>3</SUP> when it was in use, compared to 0 to 6 CFU/m<SUP>3</SUP> elsewhere in the building (Anderson et al. 1996).
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/air/fungal-fongique/invasive_mycoses-eng.php

 

[GhostRN]

Re: Hospital Vacuum Cleaners - Inhalation Risk?

Is there a risk? Many hospitals have carpet - even in their ICU's

 

[tropical]

Re: Hospital Vacuum Cleaners - Inhalation Risk?

Is there a risk? Many hospitals have carpet - even in their ICU's

If they did not contain special air viral particle filters, or
if the cleaner do it through water, water special viral filters,
the answer is yes.