Medicosnext
Ms. Dipika Shrestha, With a background in Microbiology, she is currently part of the Research and Development team at Sakal BioEnzyme.
What appears clean to the naked eye may still harbor microscopic particles, dust, and germs. Keeping our surroundings clean is more than what appeals to the eye; it is largely about preventing the risks of infection and transmission of pathogenic organisms.
In healthcare, environmental cleaning and disinfection strategies involve the removal of dirt, marks, and stains for patients’ health and safety. It aims to ultimately reduce the number of microorganisms and thereby reduce the transmission of those organisms through any means.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year, millions of patients are affected by healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), making it a global health burden. The cases of HAIs have been observed in both high-resource and limited-resource healthcare settings. Compared to other settings, the rates of such cases are twice as high in healthcare settings with limited resources.
As healthcare settings witness the rapid succession of patients, environmental cleaning is a crucial intervention to prevent the transmission of pathogens from ecological reservoirs or through contact with healthcare personnel.
Environmental Transmission of HAIs
Patients are exposed to pathogens through contaminated environmental surfaces, medical equipment, and invasive devices such as catheters, IV lines, and endotracheal tubes, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella spp., Acinetobacter spp., Enterococci, and others. These healthcare-associated pathogens can survive on environmental surfaces for months, and their survival time varies based on multiple external factors, including temperature, moisture, and humidity.
The environmental transmission pathway of HAIs begins with colonized patients contaminating environmental surfaces through contact or uncleaned surfaces with blood stains and other body fluids. Similarly, contaminated hands or gloves of healthcare workers and caretakers lead to the transmission of microorganisms from the environment to a susceptible host. In this regard, the role of environmental cleaning and maintaining hand hygiene is fundamental to breaking the chain of transmission, infection prevention, and control.
Green Cleaning
While infection prevention remains the foremost priority in healthcare hygiene, the environmental impact of cleaning products is gaining increasing attention. Traditional chemical disinfectants can leave behind harmful residues, contribute to antimicrobial resistance, and generate waste that is hazardous to the environment.
Enzymatic cleaners, in contrast, are biodegradable and generally less toxic, making them a more sustainable choice without compromising on safety. By breaking down organic matter into harmless, water-soluble compounds, these cleaners minimize chemical load in wastewater and reduce the risk of environmental contamination.
Hospitals worldwide are now exploring eco-friendly formulations, reduced packaging, and water-efficient cleaning protocols as part of their green initiatives. The challenge, however, lies in striking the right balance—ensuring robust infection prevention while embracing environmentally responsible practices.
In resource-limited settings, adopting such products also requires addressing issues of cost, supply consistency, and staff training to make green cleaning both practical and impactful.
Enzymatic Cleaning for Healthcare Hygiene and Safety
In the healthcare environment, contamination from spills of blood and body fluids, including urine, mucus, feces, albumin, and vomitus, is common. Similarly, surgical instruments, invasive equipment, and operating rooms must be kept sterile through aseptic techniques to completely remove organisms and prevent contamination. Before sterilization, these instruments and equipment are cleaned using enzymatic cleaners to reduce bio-burden and residual organic matter at the molecular level. But are they safe and effective?
How Does Enzymatic Cleaning Work?
Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts, speeding up biochemical reactions. Stained or soiled surgical instruments or surfaces are composed of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and salts commonly found in blood and body fluids. Enzymatic cleaners utilize enzymes to break down complex organic compounds, such as blood, at a neutral pH into water-soluble simpler ones, facilitating the effective removal of these contaminants.
Proteases, lipases, and amylases are three of the most significant enzymes used in enzymatic cleaning of surgical instruments. Based on the type of contaminant, one should determine the appropriate enzyme-based cleaner, as each enzyme targets specific compounds and has a distinct mode of action.
The process of enzymatic cleaning facilitates the breakdown of organic matter through catalysis, which speeds up the reaction with lower energy. These cleaners offer broad-spectrum effectiveness against soils, even at low concentrations and temperatures, and are highly compatible with surface materials. In healthcare, they aid environmental cleaning not only by removing minute organisms but also by eliminating the conditions in which these organisms thrive.
Enzymatic cleaners are safer for surfaces, non-toxic, biodegradable, and gentle, making them particularly suitable for immunocompromised patients, children, and people with skin conditions.
Infection prevention in healthcare begins with practices that often go unnoticed, such as thorough cleaning at the molecular level. Enzymatic cleaners, with their ability to break down complex organic matter safely and effectively, bridge the gap between patient safety and environmental responsibility. As hospitals strive to reduce healthcare-associated infections while embracing sustainable practices, enzymatic cleaning stands out as both a scientific and practical solution.
Ultimately, investing in smarter cleaning today protects patients, healthcare workers, and the planet for tomorrow. A clean environment—whether in healthcare settings, shared spaces, or at home—should allow one to breathe freely as much as it pleases the eye aesthetically.
References:
- https://journals.lww.com/jwocnonline/Fulltext/2012/03001/Clean_vs__Sterile_Dressing_Techniques_for.7.aspx
- https://www.vitalitymedical.com/blog/sterile-vs-clean-technique-what-healthcare-pros-advise.html
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11439593/
- https://www.cdc.gov/healthcare-associated-infections/media/pdfs/environmental-cleaning-RLS-508.pdf
- https://www.steris.com/healthcare/knowledge-center/sterile-processing/what-is-an-enzymatic-cleaner
- https://www.aorn.org/outpatient-surgery/article/2016-January-your-guide-to-enzymatic-cleaners
- https://www.platinumhealthsupply.com.au/blogs/all/breaking-down-enzymatic-cleaners-how-do-they-work
- https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/enzymatic-cleaning-solution-clean-bill-health-itsafe
Dipika Shrestha
She is a Microbiology graduate currently working in Research and Development at Sakal BioEnzyme. With a strong foundation in academic writing, research, and project management, she has contributed to various research projects, honing her expertise in scientific writing and organizational skills. Passionate about research and innovation, she is dedicated to advancing global healthcare and leveraging her skills to drive impactful results in building a sustainable community.
