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C. Diff Can Linger in Hospital Rooms After Cleaning

Researchers at University College London Hospitals in London, England, found C. difficile bacteria often remained on floor corners and bathroom floors despite routine and terminal cleaning of hospital rooms.

C. difficile is difficult to remove through cleaning as it is resistant to some disinfectants and can remain on surfaces for up to five months. Researchers testing 146 hospital rooms over the course of one year found C. difficile on 22.9 percent of surfaces tested before terminal cleaning, and 10.6 percent of surfaces tested after terminal cleaning, Healio Infectious Disease News reports. Hydrogen peroxide was the most effective disinfectant; C. diff was found on 4.4 percent of tested surfaces after hydrogen peroxide disinfection. However, 15.8 percent of bathroom floors remained contaminated with the bacterial after hydrogen peroxide disinfection. Floor corners were especially contaminated, with C. diff found on 29 percent of the corners after disinfection.