Disinfection and Waste Management in the ETU
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Disinfection and Waste Management in the ETU This lecture is on disinfection and waste management in the ETU. Preparing Healthcare Workers to Work in Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) in Africa Disinfection and Waste Management in the ETU This presentation is current as of December, 2014. This presentation contains materials from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and World Health Organization (WHO). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention version 12.03.2014 The learning objectives for this lecture are to: Learning Objectives ▶ Identify how and when to use chlorine solution and Identify how and when to use chlorine solution and the the correct strengths for different uses correct strengths for different uses Identify proper ways to dispose of various wastes Describe procedures for disinfection in the ETU ▶ Identify proper ways to dispose of various wastes Describe safe handling, moving, and burial of a corpse ▶ Describe procedures for disinfection in the ETU ▶ Describe safe handling, moving, and burial of a corpse This presentation contains materials from CDC, MSF, and WHO 2 To provide maximum safety in the ETU, it is important for Disinfection in the ETU all healthcare workers to understand the procedures for ETU Considerations disinfection, infection prevention and control, and sanitation Healthcare workers should understand sanitation procedures even if they may not perform all of them described in this lecture. Patients shed large quantities of virus in blood and body fluids ETU disinfection practices are influenced by two properties of Ebola virus has a lipid envelope, making it relatively easy to inactivate the Ebola virus. Chlorine is your friend First, patients with Ebola shed large quantities of virus in blood and body fluids. Second, the Ebola virus has a lipid or fatty envelope so it is relatively fragile and easy to inactivate. This presentation contains materials from CDC, MSF, and WHO 3 Chlorine disinfection, heat, direct ultraviolet sunlight, and certain cleaning products all destroy the lipid envelope, thereby killing the virus. Proper use of chlorine solutions can effectively kill the Ebola virus. Consequently, in this epidemic, chlorine is your friend. 85 Course Lectures and Scripts > Disinfection and Waste Management in the ETU Chlorine Solutions Because chlorine is a critical component to stop the spread Standard Disinfectant in the ETU of the Ebola virus, we will spend some time talking about the How can the proper use of chlorine solutions help protect me? effectiveness and use of chlorine solutions within the ETU. Chlorine can inactivate the virus on personal protective How can the proper use of chlorine solutions help protect equipment (PPE) or other surfaces, reducing the risk of heathcare worker infection you? Chlorine can inactivate the virus on personal protective How should those concentrations be made? equipment (PPE) as well as viral contamination on other . Clean water is used to dissolve powdered or tablet chlorine or to dilute liquid bleach in specified concentrations surfaces. Label solutions accordingly How should those concentrations of chlorine solutions be made? Clean water, defined here as clear, colorless non- This presentation contains materials from CDC, MSF, and WHO 4 turbid water, is used to dissolve powdered or tablet chlorine formulations or to dilute liquid bleach. Once made, chlorine solutions should be labeled accordingly to indicate their concentration levels. The amount of free chlorine in the solution provides the Free Chlorine Provides the Disinfection Action disinfection action. This amount may differ from the amount of Chlorine Added chlorine initially added to the water. Initial chlorine concentration added to water Clean, non-turbid water is important for free chlorine levels. Chlorine Demand Total Chlorine Reactions with organic and inorganic Remaining chlorine concentration after Chlorine is an equal-opportunity disinfectant. In addition to material, metals, other compounds chlorine demand of water is met present in water prior to disinfection reacting with Ebola virus and other pathogens, it also reacts with other compounds such as inorganic materials or metals Combined Chlorine Free Chlorine Concentration of chlorine combined with Concentration of chlorine organic and inorganic nitrogen compounds that may be present in the water. Therefore, if the water is available for disinfection in the water. Not as effective for disinfection dirty or contains a lot of these dissolved materials, some of This presentation contains materials from CDC, MSF, and WHO 5 the chlorine will be used up in reacting with these substances. This results in what is called combined chlorine. Combined chlorine is not effective in disinfecting Ebola virus. Only the uncombined or free chlorine provides the disinfection action against the virus. Therefore, the cleaner the water, the more free chlorine will be available and this results in greater disinfecting power. 86 Course Lectures and Scripts > Disinfection and Waste Management in the ETU There are three basic forms of chlorine to make chlorine Commercially Available Chlorine Products solutions for use in the ETU. Used to Make Chlorine Solutions in the ETU Bleach, sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) ▶ Bleach, or sodium hypochlorite, is the formulation we are . Often unavailable in West Africa . Usually sold as a diluted solution between 2–8% all familiar with. However, bleach may often be unavailable Calcium hypochlorite Ca(ClO)2 or “HTH” in West Africa. It is expensive to locally manufacture . Typically in powder form . Considered to be relatively stable or import due to weight. It is usually sold as a solution Purification tablets, sodium between 2 and 8% and often the real concentration is lower dichloro-isocyanurate (NaDCC) . than labeled. Tablets can come in varying strengths NOTE: All chlorine products will degrade over time, and manufacturer’s label may not accurately reflect strength of product—strength of products should be tested regularly ▶ Calcium hypochlorite, also known as high-test hypochlorite This presentation contains materials from CDC, MSF, and WHO 6 or “HTH” is typically available in a powdered form and, in the United States, is commonly used to treat swimming pools. It is considered to be a relatively stable formulation of chlorine. However, experience has shown this product may be difficult to dissolve completely. This can lead to saturated concentrations of chlorine in the bottom of the vessel. ▶ Sodium dichloro-isocyanurate is more familiar to us as drinking water purification tablets. These come in various strengths. Sodium dichloro-isocyanurate (NaDCC) is also available in powdered form. It is important to note all chlorine products will degrade over time, especially if not stored correctly. As a result, manufacturers’ labels may not accurately reflect the current strength of the product. Therefore, the product strength should be tested regularly. There are two concentrations of chlorine solutions used in the Chlorine Solutions ETU: 0.5% and 0.05%. Concentrations of Chlorine Solutions Concentrations of chlorine solutions in the ETU . 0.5% - most non-living items 0.5% is used to disinfect most non-living items, including • Corpses, surfaces, vomit, diarrhea, blood, gloved hands . 0.05% - living tissue and sensitive materials corpses, contaminated surfaces, infectious body fluids (such as • Bare hands, face, and other exposed skin, linens (scrubs), thermometers, plates/cups/eating utensils used by patients and vomit, diarrhea, and blood), and gloved hands. remaining in high-risk zone 0.05% is used to disinfect living tissue and other chlorine- sensitive materials. These include all living skin, including bare hands, face, and other exposed skin, staff linens (mainly Photo credit: NPR.org (September 2014) scrubs), thermometers, and eating utensils used by patients This presentation contains materials from CDC, MSF, and WHO 7 and left in the high-risk zone for re-use. 87 Course Lectures and Scripts > Disinfection and Waste Management in the ETU Chlorine Solutions While proper use of chlorine solutions can effectively kill the Limitations of Disinfection in the ETU Ebola virus, there are important limitations that influence the Proper use of chlorine solutions can kill (inactivate) Ebola virus procedures for chlorine use. Limitations . Chlorine solutions will be much less effective on grossly Chlorine will be much less effective on grossly contaminated contaminated surfaces • Organic material must be reduced to improve disinfection effectiveness surfaces, such as those soiled with vomit or diarrhea. This is . Strength of chlorine solutions can degrade over time, especially in hot climates a similar process to organic matter in the water reacting with • Use fresh chlorine products to make dilutions, i.e. , <3 months old (bleach, HTH, tablets) chlorine solution to reduce its disinfection power. Therefore, • Properly store chlorine (no heat, light, humidity) • Test locally acquired products or use verified imported products • Prepare diluted chlorine solutions daily organic material must be reduced or even removed to improve • Label all chlorine solutions with strength of solution (0.5%, 0.05%) disinfection effectiveness. Using more of the chlorine solution This presentation contains materials from CDC, MSF, and WHO 8 will not help if substantial biomass is present. For chlorine to properly disinfect, it needs direct contact