Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in sink traps

Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are gaining ground –smart solutions are urgently needed!

Nosocomial and community-acquired infections are still the major challenge of the health care system. Although latest news about declining figures of MRSA-infected patients in Germany indicate successful countermeasures, multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are gaining ground – infections caused by these pathogenes dramatically increase worldwide.¹ Water samples from different places in Germany already show negative impact on the environment.² 

Possible transmission paths that lead to a particular risk for vulnerable patients and infants, are diverse: directly from human to human, via aerosols, dust and droplets, or by contact with infected environment. The necessary antibiotic treatment of colonised and infected individuals causes selection pressure and development of pathogen resistance. The resistance genes of bacteria which are located e.g on plasmids, are able to transfer this genetic information across spezies barriers to other bacteria. Biofilms on wet surfaces encourage the gene transfer. 

Therefore, it is of special significance to identify and to exclude reservoirs of bacteria permanently. Investigations of outbreaks with multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria have revealed a number of reservoirs in hospitals. Among them sink traps that are known to emit infectious aerosols during water supply.

The MoveoSiphon ST 24

is a self-disinfecting sink trap, which eliminates the  pathogens in the water of the drain trap effectively and permanently. The MoveoSiphon replaces the standard sink trap and kills the germs in the water seal by continuous disinfection and cleaning cycles. Simultanuously the disinfection device prevents biofilm formation and the transmission of resistance genes. 

The MoveoSiphon is successfully used in clinical facilities for more than 10 years. In conjunction with standard hygiene measures, the installation of the MoveoSiphon reduces the patient colonization and infections by waterborne bacteria, the need for antibiotics as well as the patient isolation days.^3,4

The MoveoSiphon is a patented system for effective infection prevention, working without the use of chemicals. The GMS (German Medical Science) Consensus Report mentions that self-disinfecting sink traps are intelligent solutions for reservoir-based prevention in sanitary facilities.⁵ The DGKH (German Society of Hospital Hygiene)-recommendation for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the KRINKO Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention at the Robert Koch Institute)-recommendation or AWMF (Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany)-guideline for hand hygiene recommend self-disinfecting sink traps for high risk areas like neonatal intensive care units, burn units and haemato-oncology units but also for sanitary areas of cystic fibrosis patients and for the prevention of Pseudomonas infections.^6,7,8

We would be happy to provide you with technical details of our disinfection device.

If you are interested, please send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call +49 351 4 26 43 00-0.

References:

¹Fachkongress der DGHM in Bochum/2018 (Ärzte Zeitung online, 20.02.2018)

²Pharmazeutische Zeitung, 07/2018

³Sissoko und Sütterlin (2004), DGKH-Kongress Berlin

⁴Monatszeitschrift Kinderheilkunde (2013), Suppl 2, DGKJ-PO-12-11

⁵Exner et al., GMS Hygiene and Infection Control 2017, Vol.12

⁶KRINKO, Bundesgesundheitsbl 2016 (59),1189-1220

⁷AWMFLeiitlinie Nr. 029/027

⁸Exner et al., Hyg Med 2016; 41-4