Introduction:
Sampling the microbial content of the environment is a recommended practice for hospitals and clinics. Information obtained by environmental sampling has great value in the evaluation of problems relating to housekeeping procedures, disinfectants, air distribution and filtering, traffic control and the influence of specific equipment on environmental contamination. The purpose of this practical is to assess the effectiveness of some cross-infection control measures commonly used in clinical dentistry. Cross-infection control standards are put in place to eliminate or reduce the number and quantity of infectious agents in the oral health practice environment; and prevent the transmission of infectious agents from any person …show more content…
Once completed label the bottom of the blood agar plate (not the lid) with the details of sampling area e.g. Name, Date, Location, Sampling Area. Complete the procedure 2 more times in either a clinical or a non-clinical area.
Part 2: Cross-Infection Control
Part A Method:
Sit at a bench with elbows on the bench, head resting upon the hands and poised directly over an open blood agar plate. Recite (with enthusiasm!) the following incantations 10 times, emphasising the labial and glottal consonants.
“We spread several species of spiteful bacteria while speaking, spitting, coughing or sneezing” and “It’s not the cough that carries us off, it’s the coffin they carry us off in.”
Repeat the experiment using a fresh blood agar plate and after fitting a surgical mask in place.
Part B Method:
Working in pairs, one person will swab his/her partners arm with a skin cleansing swab (70% isopropyl alcohol) wiping three times over an area of about 3cm square. Wait approximately 30 seconds, sample a 2cm square area within the swabbed area with a sterile swab moistened in sterile saline solution, and spread sample over a blood agar plate as shown in figure 1. Label the plate on the base. Sample also a controlled area of the skin, similar size and not wiped with alcohol. Spread this sample onto a blood agar plate …show more content…
A genotypic method uses molecular techniques to identify bacteria by doing DNA or RNA analysis of the bacterium’s genome ("Conventional Bacterial Identification Methods", 2013). The 16S rRNA gene sequences provides species-specific signature sequences useful for bacterial identification ("16S Ribosomal RNA Sequencing Theory”, 2016). The 16s rRNA gene sequence uses a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify a specific DNA target from a mixture of DNA molecules, which helps in the identification of bacterial colonies when comparing to sequencing templates ("polymerase chain reaction / PCR | Learn Science at Scitable", 2016).
Results:
All the results will have a designated guideline to being classified as a “clean” sample or an unacceptable sample. The designated guideline for a clean sample is <20 colonies per plates. The results of not wearing a mask show the total average of colonies per plate is 241. Both of these results show how important it is for clinical professionals to wear personal protective equipment during patient care. The mask not only protects the clinician from the patient, but vice a versa, which is the reason cross-infection protocols are put in
Sampling the microbial content of the environment is a recommended practice for hospitals and clinics. Information obtained by environmental sampling has great value in the evaluation of problems relating to housekeeping procedures, disinfectants, air distribution and filtering, traffic control and the influence of specific equipment on environmental contamination. The purpose of this practical is to assess the effectiveness of some cross-infection control measures commonly used in clinical dentistry. Cross-infection control standards are put in place to eliminate or reduce the number and quantity of infectious agents in the oral health practice environment; and prevent the transmission of infectious agents from any person …show more content…
Once completed label the bottom of the blood agar plate (not the lid) with the details of sampling area e.g. Name, Date, Location, Sampling Area. Complete the procedure 2 more times in either a clinical or a non-clinical area.
Part 2: Cross-Infection Control
Part A Method:
Sit at a bench with elbows on the bench, head resting upon the hands and poised directly over an open blood agar plate. Recite (with enthusiasm!) the following incantations 10 times, emphasising the labial and glottal consonants.
“We spread several species of spiteful bacteria while speaking, spitting, coughing or sneezing” and “It’s not the cough that carries us off, it’s the coffin they carry us off in.”
Repeat the experiment using a fresh blood agar plate and after fitting a surgical mask in place.
Part B Method:
Working in pairs, one person will swab his/her partners arm with a skin cleansing swab (70% isopropyl alcohol) wiping three times over an area of about 3cm square. Wait approximately 30 seconds, sample a 2cm square area within the swabbed area with a sterile swab moistened in sterile saline solution, and spread sample over a blood agar plate as shown in figure 1. Label the plate on the base. Sample also a controlled area of the skin, similar size and not wiped with alcohol. Spread this sample onto a blood agar plate …show more content…
A genotypic method uses molecular techniques to identify bacteria by doing DNA or RNA analysis of the bacterium’s genome ("Conventional Bacterial Identification Methods", 2013). The 16S rRNA gene sequences provides species-specific signature sequences useful for bacterial identification ("16S Ribosomal RNA Sequencing Theory”, 2016). The 16s rRNA gene sequence uses a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify a specific DNA target from a mixture of DNA molecules, which helps in the identification of bacterial colonies when comparing to sequencing templates ("polymerase chain reaction / PCR | Learn Science at Scitable", 2016).
Results:
All the results will have a designated guideline to being classified as a “clean” sample or an unacceptable sample. The designated guideline for a clean sample is <20 colonies per plates. The results of not wearing a mask show the total average of colonies per plate is 241. Both of these results show how important it is for clinical professionals to wear personal protective equipment during patient care. The mask not only protects the clinician from the patient, but vice a versa, which is the reason cross-infection protocols are put in