ULTRASONIC CLEANING : : INFECTION CONTROL Studies Show Dramatic Results in Removing Dangerous Bacteria

D epending on which statistics you read, the estimates for North America for health care-acquired infections (HCAI) range from a low of 490,000 cases of infections caused by health care practices to more than 1.7 million a year. Anywhere from 48,000 to 100,000 fatalities annually can be tracked back to the development of infections in patients who did not have an infection upon admission. Beyond the loss of life, these infections are expensive. Various researchers estimate that the extra days spent in the hospital lead to $8.1 billion in added costs.2 One response to this problem is to move toward stronger and stronger chemicals for cleaning purposes. Although this may provide some short-term relief, the side effects of harsh chemicals and the natural ability of bacteria and other infectious agents to develop a resistance to antimicrobial agents requires a new approach to cleaning in health care facilities.