Texas IEQ Experts Help Nursing Homes Prevent the Spread of Environmental Pathogens

AUSTIN, Texas - Feb. 9, 2015 - PRLog -- In October, the Columbia University School of Nursing published a news release about a study that found rising infection rates at nursing homes across the country.  After examining infections in nursing homes in the United States over a 5 year period, the study concluded that rates of a variety of infections are increasing, including those caused by multiple drug-resistant organisms (MDROs).

The report showed an 18% increase in multiple drug-resistant bacterial infections and an 11% increase in pneumonia.  The news release goes on to discuss how hand hygiene, contaminated surfaces and air quality problems can all impact infection rates in nursing homes.

“Infections are a leading cause of deaths and complications for nursing home residents, and with the exception of tuberculosis we found a significant increase in infection rates across the board,” said lead study author Carolyn Herzig, MS, Project Director of the Prevention of Nosocomial Infections & Cost Effectiveness in Nursing Homes (PNICE-NH) study at Columbia Nursing. “Unless we can improve infection prevention and control in nursing homes, this problem is only going to get worse as the baby boomers age and people are able to live longer with increasingly complex, chronic diseases.”

In Texas and the Gulf Coast, nursing homes and extended care facilities have access to the professionals at Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc.  “Drug-resistant microbial pathogens such as C. diff, MRSA and CRE are a significant threat anywhere, but this is especially relevant in places where there are building occupants who may have a weakened immune system,” said Hollis L. Horner, President of Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc.  “The staff at these facilities need to practice good hand hygiene and ensure that surfaces are properly and consistently disinfected.   Healthy indoor air quality also plays a significant role in reducing illnesses and some types of infections, such as aspergillosis and Legionnaires’ disease.  At IEC, our indoor environmental experts help to identify both bacteria and fungi from surfaces and air samples.  These services can help to prevent outbreaks, pinpoint the source of an outbreak if one has already occurred and verify that surface disinfection protocols are working.”

To learn more about IEC’s air and surface pathogen testing and consulting services or other indoor environmental quality (IEQ) services, please visit www.iecinc.net, email ncancino@iecinc.net or call (877) 432-8378.

About Indoor Environmental Consultants, Inc.

IEC began operations in 2001 with some of the nation’s most seasoned professional indoor air quality consultants who already had over 70 years of combined experience.  The indoor environmental quality firm specializes in field investigations and assessments of commercial, institutional and residential buildings.  Their services, related to fungal (mold), chemical, bacterial, asbestos and particulate pollutants, are offered throughout Texas, the Gulf Coast and the Southwest. IEC is licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services as a mold assessment company (ACO0114) and an asbestos consultant agency (100329).