Identifying and Preventing Exposure Risks to the Growing Number of Superbugs

Last month, for only the fourth time in its history, the United Nations General Assembly took up a health issue and voted to take a broad and coordinated approach to confront antimicrobial resistance. The historic action by the United Nations was due to the growing list of drug-resistant microorganisms that are now found across the globe, including in United States.
 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that on any given day, about 1 in 25 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection (HAI).  Many of these HAIs are caused by drug-resistant pathogens. A number of these pathogens were once considered to be predominately healthcare-associated infections, but many are now also commonly acquired in community settings. While some of these are primarily spread from direct person-to-person contact, many others are known to spread when people come into contact with contaminated surfaces and other materials.
 
“Although some people are at greater risk than others of antibiotic-resistant infections, no one can completely avoid the risk,” said Derrick A. Denis, Vice President of IEQ at Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “Infections from drug-resistant organisms are difficult to treat, requiring costly and sometimes toxic alternative treatment options. These are all reasons why surface cleaning, disinfection, and careful personal and occupational hygiene are so crucial for high risk environments such as hospitals, daycare centers, nursing homes and other locations with people who may have an undeveloped, suppressed or weakened immune system.”
 
The indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and microbial pathogen experts at Clark Seif Clark offer surface, air, water and material testing and consulting services to identify microbial contaminants. These services are instrumental for confirming cleaning and disinfection procedures, identifying potential exposure risks and for pinpointing the likely sources of infections at a site.
 
CSC also recently sponsored an educational video that discusses the CDC’s 2013 list of the biggest drug-resistant microorganisms that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/vb_g3lGKrso
 
To learn more about environmental pathogen testing or other environmental, indoor air quality, occupational, health and safety services, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118. 
 
About Clark Seif Clark
CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both public and private sectors address environmental, IAQ, and health and safety (EH&S) issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to industrial clients, healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.
 

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Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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