WDGMC
5.4.2022 08:47:12 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Wits University Donald Gordon Medical Centre announced novel study results indicating for the first time that Ultraviolet (UV) room decontamination technology paired with manual cleaning protocols decreased the transmission of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) by 23% in a hospital setting. The study results have been published in the March 2022 issue of The Journal of Hospital Infection.
The team of researchers at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), the first private teaching hospital in South Africa, demonstrated the reduction in CRE transmission following a 26-month study and the sustained use of a UV room decontamination device (UVDI-360 Room Sanitizer, provided by US-based manufacturer UVDI and eHealthGroup Infection Control) as an adjunct to standard cleaning, including the use of bleach and quaternary ammonium disinfectants, across the 210-bed hospital. The intervention included broad UV room decontamination across five high-risk patient units (including critical care, oncology, transplant and gastrointestinal surgery rooms) during a 12-month period following a 12-month baseline and two-month, wash-in period.
“Our team’s study indicated that enhanced environmental hygiene utilizing UV room decontamination technology in the hospital can help prevent the transmission of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales , an especially challenging set of multidrug-resistant organisms,” stated lead investigator Dr. Warren Lowman, Clinical Microbiologist & Infection Prevention and Control Specialist, Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre.
The UV room decontamination device was implemented in three usage scenarios: terminal cleaning following patient discharge, terminal cleaning following patient transfer and, in a novel treatment, occupied rooms where the patient had an existing MDRO infection and was moved during device use. For each scenario, the UV device was operated with five-minute treatment cycles, the number of which varied per room setting and size.
CRE refers to a broader set of microorganisms that demonstrate resistance to at least one of the Carbapenem antibiotics.1 Recent published surveillance studies in South Africa have indicated a CRE infection crude mortality rate of nearly 40%.2
“This research underlines WDGMC’s steadfast commitment to patient and staff safety through the use of novel infection prevention protocols,” said Dr. Sue Tager, Chief Executive Officer, Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre. “In the ongoing fight to prevent the transmission of superbugs, both in and beyond Africa, these results provide hope and concrete proof that effective solutions exist.”
About Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre
Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC) is the first and only private teaching hospital in South Africa. It was established in 2002 when the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) bought the Kenridge Hospital with a founding donation from the Donald Gordon Foundation. The institution was then renamed the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre. The 210-bed facility’s main specialties are transplant surgery, oncology (paediatric and adult), gastroenterology (medical and surgical), geriatric medicine, interventional radiology ophthalmology, ear-nose and throat, urology, nephrology, cardiology, women’s health and orthopaedics.
___________
1
https://www.cdc.gov/hai/organisms/cre/technical-info.html
2
Perovic O, Ismail H, Quan V, Bamford C, Nana T, Chibabhai V, Bhola P, Ramjathan P, Swe Swe-Han K, Wadula J, Whitelaw A, Smith M, Mbelle N, Singh-Moodley A; for GERMS-SA. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in patients with bacteraemia at tertiary hospitals in South Africa, 2015 to 2018. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2020 Jul;39(7):1287-1294. doi: 10.1007/s10096-020-03845-4. Epub 2020 Mar 2. PMID: 32124106.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220404006042/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
OPEX® Corporation to Exhibit Advanced Warehouse Automation Solutions at LogiMAT 20264.3.2026 09:00:00 CET | Press release
OPEX® Corporation, a global leader in Next Generation Automation providing innovative solutions for warehouse, document and mail automation, will exhibit its latest advancements in warehouse automation at LogiMAT 2026. The world’s largest trade show for intralogistics solutions and process management, LogiMAT will be held March 24 through 26 at the Stuttgart Trade Fair Center in Germany. “Our team looks forward to being onsite at LogiMAT and showcasing several of our leading warehouse automation solutions,” said Alex Stevens, President, Warehouse Automation, OPEX. “We’re proud to deliver cutting-edge systems that help our clients transform how they conduct business, and we appreciate the vast opportunity LogiMAT provides to share our offerings and expertise with event attendees.” At LogiMAT Hall 5 ‒ Stand B25, OPEX will demonstrate Sure Sort® X with Xtract, its award-winning, automated pack-out and order takeaway system. The OPEX Booth will also feature a static display of the company’
Twilio and KPN Partnership Unlocks the Next Generation of Secure Business Messaging in the Netherlands, Powered by Google4.3.2026 09:00:00 CET | Press release
Milestone marks nationwide operator support for RCS Business Messaging, opening a scalable new market for brands Twilio (NYSE: TWLO), the customer engagement platform that drives real-time, personalised experiences for today’s leading brands, today announced at Mobile World Congress a partnership with KPN Netherlands (KPN) to enable nationwide Rich Communication Services (RCS) Business Messaging across all major mobile operators in the Netherlands, powered by Twilio and Google. RCS Business Messaging combines the simplicity and reach of sms with rich, interactive features such as verified sender identity, images, carousels and action buttons. This allows businesses to communicate in a more engaging, secure and measurable way, strengthening customer trust and improving the overall experience. Enabling nationwide RCS in the Netherlands With nation-wide coverage, KPN plays a central role in the country’s digital infrastructure. By joining the growing RCS ecosystem, this marks a defining m
SES Brings Satellite Connectivity to Refugees in Chad4.3.2026 08:50:00 CET | Press release
First Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) deployment of the emergency.lu platform for refugees and their host communities’ use provides dependable broadband for humanitarian responders, classrooms and community connectivity centers SES, a space solutions company, is expanding humanitarian connectivity at the Farchana refugee settlement in Chad in cooperation with emergency.lu, the public-private partnership led by Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade and the UN Refugee Agency. In the framework of the Connectivity for Refugees initiative, the deployment uses SES’ O3b mPOWER satellite network to provide dependable, high-speed internet for humanitarian teams and essential services for refugees. This is the first emergency.lu deployment using O3b mPOWER satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), an expansion beyond the program’s previous use of geostationary (GEO) satellites for rapid disaster-response missions. It also marks a new app
Travel Smarter: Thales and Airalo Unlock a Seamless Global eSIM Experience4.3.2026 08:00:00 CET | Press release
Powered by Thales’ secure technology in eSIM connectivity management, this new solution ensures fast connection to local networks worldwide, delivering a smoother, more intuitive eSIM experience. For travellers, this means a simple eSIM installation for a seamless experience across 200+ destinations, making global connectivity as effortless and accessible as booking a flight or hotel. International travellers have increasingly relied on travel eSIMs to avoid high roaming fees, the hassle of searching for a local SIM card or relying on Wi-Fi hotspots. While this has improved connectivity access for millions, the process in the travel space remains cumbersome, still requiring manual configuration for each trip. By integrating Thales’ eSIM capabilities into its global platform, Airalo, the world’s largest travel eSIM platform, is further enhancing its technical architecture to provide its over 20 million users with a smoother travel experience. This press release features multimedia. View
Kao’s Laurier Launches New Brand Communication Initiative across Asia: Strengthening Global Integration as a Core Brand in Kao’s Asian Business4.3.2026 03:10:00 CET | Press release
Starting on International Women’s Day, March 8, Kao Corporation (TOKYO:4452) will launch new brand communication campaign in nine Asian countries and regions for its feminine sanitary product brand, Laurier, which is the core of its Asian business. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303996141/en/ Laurier Campaign Key Visual Laurier aims to help create more supportive and understanding environments around menstruation, so that women can feel more at ease, both physically and emotionally, under the key message “Comfort, Made Together,” which will be implemented simultaneously across Asia. Kao aims to further develop Laurier as a global brand. Laurier, one of the core brands supporting Kao’s consumer care business in Asia, has been promoting globally integrated operations since 2023. Across all nine Asian countries and regions including Japan, Laurier has been working to unify product specifications and consolida
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom