Main Menu Browse by Day or Program Author Keywords

201 Norovirus Outbreaks: Effect of "Virucidal" Disinfectants on the Duration of Nosocomial Outbreaks

Friday, March 19, 2010
Grand Hall (Hyatt Regency Atlanta)
Sabine Messler, MD , University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
Beate Panek, MD , University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
Thomas Holzmann, MD , University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
Iris Chaberny, MD, PD , Medical University of Hanover, Hannover, Germany
Frauke Mattner, MD, PD , University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
Thomas Hauer, MD , Beratungszentrum für Hygiene, Freiburg, Germany
Amei Ludwig, MD , University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
Klaus Pfeffer, MD, Prof. , University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
Roland Schulze-Röbbecke, MD, PD , University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
Background: According to the German Association for the Control of Viral Diseases (DVV) and the federal German Robert Koch Institute (RKI), disinfectants labelled as "virucidal" should be used to control norovirus transmission in healthcare settings. Disinfectants may only be categorized as "virucidal" if they prove to be active in vitro against the following test strains:
  • poliovirus (polio vaccine type 1, strain LSc-2ab)
  • adenovirus (type 5, strain Adenoid 75)
  • papovavirus (simian virus 40, strain 777)
  • vaccinia virus (strain Elstree)

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine to which extent the use of "virucidal" products for disinfection of environmental surfaces has an influence on the course of nosocomial noroviral outbreaks in comparison with the use of other disinfectants.

Methods: Data on noroviral outbreaks in five tertiary care hospitals between 2004 and 2009 were retrospectively collected. Each outbreak was characterized by its duration and the no. of persons involved. The outbreaks were grouped according to the use of "virucidal" disinfectants, "group A" designating outbreaks in which "virucidal" disinfectants were used and "group B" designating outbreaks in which other disinfectants were used.

Results: A total of 105 outbreaks were evaluated with group A comprising 42 outbreaks and group B comprising 63 outbreaks. The results of the evaluation are given in the Table below. We found no difference in outbreak duration between the two groups. However, group A outbreaks tended to involve smaller numbers of patients and healthcare workers. These differences were statistically not significant.

Group of outbreakMean duration (days)
No. of patients involved
No. of HCW involved
A, "virucidal" disinfectants (n=42)

14.68

 11.62 5.23
B, other disinfectants (n=63)15.29 13.02 9.32

Conclusions: In comparison with other products for disinfection of environmental surfaces, disinfectants categorized as "virucidal" according to DVV and RKI standards do not significantly seem to influence the course of nosocomial noroviral outbreaks.