Unpleasant odour and MRSA infections in care facilities

Nursing homes and health care facilities are very important to society in many countries and are integral parts of care for the elderly, disabled and sick. Similarly, considerable care is provided by home-based nursing, elderly and intensive/ respiratory care.

Complex clinical pictures require increasing long-term care. This is often associated with incontinence problems and MRSA infections (mostly after hospitalisation). We present the challenges that exist and the solutions that are available.

Incontinence: involuntary leakage of urine and/or stool.

Unpleasant odours arise in connection with excretions, moisture accumulation (bed and body linen as well as incontinence material) and ambient heat. In unfavourable conditions, these factors form the ideal breeding ground for decomposing germs, which release ammonia odour.

In addition, a concentrated urine with a concentrated odour often develops due to an altered sense of thirst in predominantly elderly and seriously ill patients. Furthermore, diarrhoea and vomiting are often symptoms of many chronic diseases in long-term care and also produce unpleasant odours.

If, in addition to the above-mentioned factors of time, excretion and ambient heat, non-compliance (non-compliance or refusal of nursing measures) by the client in basic care is added, odours cannot be controlled promptly.

Incontinence problems require special nursing and hygienic measures by staff and management.

The business card of your facility is also defined, among other things, by odours in residents' rooms, common rooms, dining halls and living area corridors. Visitors, potential applicants with their relatives or potential new  employees perceive the living situation of the clients selectively in this way, sometimes do not know the background information and an uneasy feeling arises.

Room sprays and surface disinfection sprays are a poor alternative for odour elimination. In combination with ammonia and artificial fragrances, they do not achieve the desired goal of neutralisation. Furthermore, "air fresheners" and other aerosols in continuous use have a detrimental effect on the immune system and respiratory system of staff and clients.

MRSA: is an infectious disease with bacterial colonisation (often staphylococci) on the skin and mucous membranes of the affected person. These infections can be detected in the nasopharynx, in wounds and on apparently healthy skin by laboratory tests.

Transmission occurs through droplet and smear infection from person to person and through contaminated objects that have come into contact with the affected person. For example, laundry, doorknobs, care utensils and waste of all kinds must be cleaned and disposed of separately. Caregivers must wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling the affected person in accordance with the Infection Protection Act.

Effects of this infection: In people with an immunocompromised general condition, e.g. after serious illnesses or operations, and in chronic diseases, this infection triggers wound healing disorders, sepsis, pneumonia, etc. The choice of therapy-relevant antibiotics is smaller than without this bacterial colonisation, because these germs are immune to most antibiotics (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus = MRSA).

Professional air sterilisers filter and decompose all pollutant particles from the air using UV photocatalysis technology. This includes bacilli and viruses, which move in the form of aerosols in the room air and remain active for several hours, as well as gases and odours, which quickly lead to odour pollution, especially in closed rooms. The AiroDoctor WAD-M20 cleans 99.9% of the air in closed rooms within a very short time and is suitable for both patient rooms and common areas with a floor area of up to 200 sqm.