I admit there are times when I could and often consider
living in a bubble. I wholeheartedly
believe that there is such a thing as knowing too much and today tipped the
scales. I have placed my order and hope
my bubble arrives in 3 – 5 business days.
Why you ask? It’s simple. I love crisp sheets. Seriously, is there anything better than
climbing into a bed that has been freshly made with clean, crisp sheets that
smell like lavender, linen or whatever dryer sheet or fabric softener you
use?
living in a bubble. I wholeheartedly
believe that there is such a thing as knowing too much and today tipped the
scales. I have placed my order and hope
my bubble arrives in 3 – 5 business days.
Why you ask? It’s simple. I love crisp sheets. Seriously, is there anything better than
climbing into a bed that has been freshly made with clean, crisp sheets that
smell like lavender, linen or whatever dryer sheet or fabric softener you
use?
My morning seemed to start out normally; I checked my
emails, scanned through my various e-newsletters and alerts. It was really a fairly quiet day...and then I
saw the article “Bed linen scare at Hong Kong hospitals shows needs for all sectors to pitch in for a clean city”.
I’ve been to Hong Kong, it’s a great city and while I admit it was not
as clean as we may be accustomed to in many North American cities I didn’t
really give it much thought. Perhaps I
should have, because according to the article, linens can be contaminated with
fungi and can lead to transmission of fungal infections in patients.
emails, scanned through my various e-newsletters and alerts. It was really a fairly quiet day...and then I
saw the article “Bed linen scare at Hong Kong hospitals shows needs for all sectors to pitch in for a clean city”.
I’ve been to Hong Kong, it’s a great city and while I admit it was not
as clean as we may be accustomed to in many North American cities I didn’t
really give it much thought. Perhaps I
should have, because according to the article, linens can be contaminated with
fungi and can lead to transmission of fungal infections in patients.
Certainly I knew from a previous blog “Environmental Contamination – is the cloth more concerning than the patient?” that laundering
of cleaning cloths could still result in bacterial contamination which
theoretically could potentially contaminate surfaces via redeposition. The study certainly highlighted the fact that
from an infection prevention perspective we need to thoroughly consider how
dirty cleaning cloths (cloths that we would EXPECT to be contaminated with
bacteria and other bugs) are laundered.
I never really considered that the laundry process itself could serve as
the reservoir for contamination that would lead to infection. Wasn’t I wrong! In the Hong Kong case, 6 patients were
infected and through the outbreak investigation fungi were detected in the
washing, drying and ironing stages.
Further, the bed sheets were packaged while still moist and
warm....perfect conditions to nurture fungal growth. I don’t even want to try to visualize what
the laundry department looked liked based on the article’s description as “a
dusty and stuffy prison”.
of cleaning cloths could still result in bacterial contamination which
theoretically could potentially contaminate surfaces via redeposition. The study certainly highlighted the fact that
from an infection prevention perspective we need to thoroughly consider how
dirty cleaning cloths (cloths that we would EXPECT to be contaminated with
bacteria and other bugs) are laundered.
I never really considered that the laundry process itself could serve as
the reservoir for contamination that would lead to infection. Wasn’t I wrong! In the Hong Kong case, 6 patients were
infected and through the outbreak investigation fungi were detected in the
washing, drying and ironing stages.
Further, the bed sheets were packaged while still moist and
warm....perfect conditions to nurture fungal growth. I don’t even want to try to visualize what
the laundry department looked liked based on the article’s description as “a
dusty and stuffy prison”.
The truth is that this is not an anomaly. According to an article published in 2014 in
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, five children died at Children’s
Hospital in 2008 and 2009 after coming in contact with a deadly fungus
transmitted to them through the linens they slept on.
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, five children died at Children’s
Hospital in 2008 and 2009 after coming in contact with a deadly fungus
transmitted to them through the linens they slept on.
Needless to say, my excitement of sniffing freshly
cleaned linens and basking in the glory that only crisp sheets can bring has
dwindled. I will now endeavour to make
sure I move my laundry along, ensure that I leave the door to the washing
machine open to dry out and bake my linens on the highest temperature setting
my dryer can do. In the meantime I will
wait with baited breath until my bubble suit arrives and try to contemplate how
I am going to handle laying my head on the pillow and pulling up the sheets in
the next hotel room I’m in......
cleaned linens and basking in the glory that only crisp sheets can bring has
dwindled. I will now endeavour to make
sure I move my laundry along, ensure that I leave the door to the washing
machine open to dry out and bake my linens on the highest temperature setting
my dryer can do. In the meantime I will
wait with baited breath until my bubble suit arrives and try to contemplate how
I am going to handle laying my head on the pillow and pulling up the sheets in
the next hotel room I’m in......
Bugging Off!
Nicole
