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In Germany, recommendations on infection prevention and control of current virus outbreaks are given as communications by the Association for Applied Hygiene e.V. (VAH) together with the joint Disinfectant Commission of the German Association for the Control of Virus Diseases e.V. (DVV) and the Society of Virology* (GfV). The DVV was founded in 1954 in response to the ongoing threat to the population from polio and was given its current name in 1977. The DVV is supported by the Federal Ministry of Health, the Ministries of Health of the Federal States, scientific societies, as well as social foundations and organisations. Private individuals cannot be members of the DVV. The Society of Virology e.V. (GfV) is a scientific society for all virological fields in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and is thus the largest virological society in Europe. With numerous commissions, guidelines and statements, it is the authoritative contact for research, healthcare and politics. The joint commission "Virus Disinfection" of these scientific societies focuses on the efficacy of chemical disinfection procedures against viruses. The VAH bundles the expertise of scientific societies and experts on infection prevention and is particularly committed to the quality assurance of hygiene measures. With the VAH disinfectant list, the association provides the standard reference for the selection of high-quality disinfection procedures. This disinfectant list has a tradition of more than 60 years in Germany. The original German version of this document was published in August 2022 and has now been made available to the international professional public in English. The document contains recommendations on hygiene and disinfection measures for monkeypox virus infections. Disinfectants against monkeypox must have at least proven efficacy against enveloped viruses (active against enveloped viruses); products with the efficacy ranges "limited virucidal activity" and "virucidal" can also be used. The disinfectant list of the VAH or the disinfectant list of the Robert Koch Institute are available for the selection of products. Especially in the case of contamination with crust or scab material, it should be noted that protein contamination can have a protective or stabilising effect on monkeypox. Therefore, cleaning – before disinfection – should always be carried out in this situation. Preventive measures such as vaccination and hygiene in the vicinity of people with monkeypox must be taken to prevent transmission to small children, pregnant women or people with a pronounced immune deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of GMS Hygiene & Infection Control is the property of German Medical Science Publishing House gGmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of GMS Hygiene & Infection Control is the property of German Medical Science Publishing House gGmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This prospective, multinational study was conducted in 20 homes in eight cities or regions in different countries to determine the level of microbiological contamination of common surfaces and items, and investigate the attitudes and perceptions of householders towards cleaning and hygiene. Environmental Health Practitioners took eight standardised swabs in each home. The swabs were cultured for a range of micro-organisms. Householders (n=160) were also interviewed regarding their cleaning habits and perceptions of hygiene. Overall, 28% of surfaces or items tested in the study had ‘moderate bacterial growth’ or ‘heavy bacterial growth’. Kitchen cloths were the most contaminated items, with 86% having moderate bacterial growth or heavy bacterial growth; kitchen taps were the second most contaminated items, with 52% having moderate bacterial growth or heavy bacterial growth. High proportions (>50%) of kitchen cloths contained coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas spp. The visual appearance of surfaces and items frequently (30%) did not correspond to their level of contamination with micro-organisms. The majority of householders (65%) cleaned to make the house ‘look clean, smell nice and remove germs’; however, householders’ perceptions of the cleanliness of their homes frequently did not correspond to microbiological reality. In conclusion, further research and education are needed regarding hygiene in the home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Rudolf Schuelke Foundation addresses topics related to hygiene, infection prevention and public health. In this context a panel of scientists from various European countries discussed "The Role of Surface Disinfection in Infection Prevention". The most important findings and conclusions of this meeting are summarised in the present consensus paper. Aim: Although the relevance of surface disinfection is increasingly being accepted, there are still a number of issues which remain controversial. In particular, the following topics were addressed: Transferral of microbes from surface to patients as a cause of infection, requirements for surface disinfectants, biocidal resistance and toxicity, future challenges. Methods and findings: After discussion and review of current scientific literature the authors agreed that contaminated surfaces contribute to the transmission of pathogens and may thus pose an infection hazard. Targeted surface disinfection based on a risk profile is seen as an indispensable constituent in a multibarrier approach of universal infection control precautions. Resistance and cross-resistance depend on the disinfectant agent as well as on the microbial species. Prudent implementation of surface disinfection regimens tested to be effective can prevent or minimize adverse effects. Conclusions: Disinfection must be viewed as a holistic process. There is a need for defining standard principles for cleaning and disinfection, for ensuring compliance with these principles by measures such as written standard operating procedures, adequate training and suitable audit systems. Also, test procedures must be set up in order to demonstrate the efficacy of disinfectants including new application methods such as pre-soaked wipes for surface disinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]