Trinity Guardion Collaborates With Top Researchers in Study of Microbial Testing Methods

Trinity Guardion today announced its collaboration with a leading researcher from Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio in a comprehensive new study of microorganisms in the hospital environment collected from hospital mattress and bed decks from a total of five hospitals in four different cities. The study compared conventional rayon swab testing with an advanced new methodology, measuring the quantities and types of microbes identified using each of the two different test methodologies. The results of the study will be presented by Eddie Hooker, MD, DPh, of Xavier University at the annual APIC conference being held June 27-29 in Baltimore. He will also be available at the Trinity Guardion booth, #842.

"With the current use of swab testing, hospital bed mattresses and bed decks often test negative and are therefore presumed to be clean and free of microorganisms," says Hooker. "We suspect along with physicians, infection control officers and other healthcare professionals worldwide that hospital beds may harbor bacteria and other microorganisms even after terminal disinfection. This study should help better our understanding and allow us to develop more effective cleaning practices as it relates to hospital beds."

Led by Hooker, in cooperation with Stephen Alle, MD,  of Indiana University and Trinity Guardion, researchers evaluated mattresses and bed decks for contamination using different testing methodologies. Among multiple goals of the study, researchers hope to better understand the microbes that are contaminating hospital beds and mattresses and whether current cleaning practices are adequate.