Disinfected mop had 150 000 Clostridium difficile colonies
October 1st 2005

High temperature wash cycles recommended by an NHS guideline to process infected laundry do not kill the lethal bug Clostridium difficile, scientific tests have revealed

Clostridium difficile infections in healthcare environments have soared in recent years.

Although reporting cases has only recently been made mandatory, voluntary reporting by laboratories showed there were 43 000 in 2004 an increase of 23%.

Earlier this year, it was reported that the bug had killed a number of patients in several hospitals, including 12 people at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Despite the prevalence of the bug, the NHS still relies on a laundry guideline last updated a decade ago.

The guideline, HSG (95) 18, states that infected or foul laundry should be thermally disinfected. This means that items should be washed at no less than 65°C for at least 10 minutes of preferably at 71°C for a minimum of three minutes.

But tests by independent microbiologists have shown that the high temperature cycles are completely ineffective against Clostridium difficile. The microbiologists, from highly respected Microsearch Laboratories, followed the guideline by washing a mop head which had been used on an NHS hospital ward at 71°C for three minutes.

When they subsequently examined the mop head, they found it was still teeming with a staggering 150 000 colonies of Clostridium difficile.

Senior Microsearch microbiologist Mr R D O Connor said: "Contract cleaners are doing the best they possibly can by embracing developments such as microfibre mop heads that literally attract dust and bacteria like a magnet.

"But all their efforts are wasted because the NHS guideline on disinfection just doesn't work, as our tests have proved.

"After mops have been washed in accordance with the guideline, they then go back out to be used again and spread bacteria everywhere."

Microsearch conducted the test on behalf of leading commercial laundry equipment distributor JLA, which has developed the revolutionary OTEX laundry system.

OTEX uses mostly cold water and injects ozone into the wash process. It kills Clostridium difficile and other highly dangerous bugs such as MRSA on all wash cycles.

In another test, Microsearch analysed water containing Clostridium difficile which had been held at a temperature of 80 degrees centigrade for 15 minutes. They found the reduction of Clostridium difficile spores to be 'insignificant'.

By comparison, a similar test on OTEX water found no viable trace of spores after only two-and-a-half minutes.

OTEX is widely used in care homes throughout the UK and the Commission for Social Care Inspection has confirmed that the system complies with the National Minimum Care Standards.

Following a recommendation by the Health Protection Agency’s rapid review panel, the system is now due to be evaluated by the NHS.

JLA director Dick Cardis said: "The NHS guideline covering laundry needs to be reassessed as a matter of urgency. It is based on research carried out over 35 years ago when superbugs were unheard of.

"It needs to be changed for two reasons. On the one hand, its recommendations have been proven to be ineffective against Clostridium difficile. On the other hand, it is so outdated that it takes no account of new innovations."

As well as guaranteeing total peace of mind, OTEX also achieves substantial financial savings due to its use of cold water and the fact that it disinfects faster than high temperature cycles. Utility, detergent and labour costs are all cut dramatically.

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