Possible infection of health workers by contact with surfaces infected with monkeypox virus is the subject of an article indicating additional care to be taken in preventing disease.
The text is titled Possible occupational infection of healthcare workers with monkeypox virus, Brazilwill be published in the December issue of the scientific journal Emerging Infectius Diseases, which is edited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In addition to Fiocruz Pernambuco and the State Center for Health Surveillance of Rio Grande do Sul (Cevs/SES-RS), there are three universities of Rio Grande do Sul (University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre) and the Bernhard Institute Nocht for Tropical Medicine – National Reference Center for Tropical Infectious Diseases, Hamburg (Germany).
The study brings up the case of two nurses who fell ill, five days after a patient came home to collect materials and diagnose monkeypox. “The care approved in this service is described in detail, showing that they used all protective equipment – except for gloves – while in the initial interview period, in the patient’s room. This protective element was only put in place at the time of collection, after they had sanitized their hands” , as the text says.
Fiocruz Pernambuco researcher Gabriel Wallau conducted the study along with Cevs health specialist Richard Steiner Salvato. The authors’ conclusion is that the pathogens may have become contaminated by contact with infected surfaces in the home of this patient, who was at the height of virus transmission. or even when handling the specimen transfer box, initially with infected gloves and later without gloves.
According to Vucruz, the study can be used as a reference for the adoption of best practices when dealing with patients infected with monkeypox virus. The authors recommend measures to prevent and prevent this route of transmission, which include specific training for this group, implementation of control measures, frequent hand hygiene and correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
According to the researchers, it is recommended to use gloves for the duration of visiting patients, in contact with people suspected of being infected and with their environment/personal items. Disinfection of surfaces with a disinfectant effective against other pathogens (such as norovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus) – before and after interaction with suspected cases – and vaccination of high-risk groups, including healthcare professionals working on the front lines of this disease, are other measures that indicated by the research group.
“Highlighting the superficial transmission event is important for improving general recommendations aimed at protecting both health professionals who come into direct contact with these patients, as well as family members and others involved in this care,” said researcher Gabriel Wallau. .
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