Ambulances or sanitary transport transport daily to sick people who may have suffered accidents or who have acquired some type of infectious disease.
To ensure the safety of health personnel traveling in the ambulance and that of the patients themselves, we must resort to cleaning and disinfection that guarantee the total elimination of infectious microorganisms or fluids.
Below, we highlight some cleaning protocols that must be followed to ensure that ambulances are available in the shortest possible time and in optimal conditions for use.

Basic principles for cleaning and disinfection in ambulances

To perform the cleaning in an ambulance the following rules must be followed:

Remove the metal objects and treat them separately to prevent oxidation.
Wash the cleaning material with water and detergent and replace it when necessary.
Consider biosafety standards to minimize risks.
Ventilate the ambulance, opening the doors and windows for about 15-30 minutes in an outside place and little traffic.

For disinfection we will consider three possible options depending on the level of risk of infection:

Critical surfaces, such as surgical material, will be disinfected by sterilization.
Semicritic surfaces, such as intubation equipment, will be treated by high-level disinfection.
Non-critical surfaces, such as wedges or stethoscope, will intervene with an intermediate level disinfection.

Cleaning and disinfection of the interior of the ambulance

To proceed with the cleaning of the interior of the ambulance we must previously remove all moving objects.

Next, the floor, ceiling and other surfaces will be cleaned with mops or cloths of nonwoven fabric impregnated in a solution of water and detergent.
The metal surfaces will be rinsed with water and dried immediately to prevent oxidation.
The disinfection will be carried out taking into account the classification of the previous point. All ambulance surfaces, including driver’s seats and belts and co-drivers, will be treated.

Once the cleaning and disinfection has been carried out, we must wait about 30 minutes before allowing access to the interior of the ambulance.

Cleaning and disinfection of medical devices

Medical devices will also be treated with a solution of water and detergent for about five minutes and then rinsed with a damp cloth.
All medical devices that need to be sterilized will be removed in a suitable bag to be treated in a space exclusively for sterilization.
In order to leave the ambulance provided with the necessary material for the next service, these will be replaced by newly sterilized or new devices.
Those medical devices considered critical, such as the stethoscope, will be disinfected with alcohol at 70 °.

Cleaning and disinfection of the stretcher
To carry out the hygiene of the stretcher, probably the element that establishes the most contact with the patient, we must remove the sheet and store it in a suitable bag.
The surface of the stretcher will be washed with liquid detergent, including railings, seat belts and legs.
This solution will be allowed to act for about 5 minutes and will be rinsed with a damp cloth a minimum of three times.
For disinfection, we will use a chlorinated or ammonium-based solution and let it act for 10 minutes.

In the case that we use sodium hypochlorite, we will apply a damp cloth to prevent oxidation.
Finally, clean sheets and blankets will be placed to cover the next service.

Cleaning and disinfection of ambulance furniture

The drawers, lamps and paper and soap dispensers are also part of the ambulance and, therefore, also respond to a specific cleaning and disinfection protocol.
In general, the furniture will be cleaned with a detergent solution, rinsed with a damp cloth and disinfected with sodium hypochlorite or alcohol at 70º depending on the level of infectious risk present.
As regards soap dispensers, they must be disassembled for a more thorough cleaning and, if deemed necessary, will be sent to the sterilization center.
Of course, the disposable material will be collected in a suitable bag and replaced by new material.

Cleaning and disinfection in ambulances minimizes the risks of the patient’s condition getting worse or that his stay in the hospital is prolonged.

The post Ambulance cleaning and disinfection guide appeared first on Doctorclean.

When do you suspect that you have a dengue fever?

If you have been in a country or region where dengue fever is prevalent in the past 2 weeks, or if dengue fever occurs in communities, streets, or even cities where you live and work, when there is a fever (sometimes up to 39 ° C), accompanied by the following symptoms One – obviously tired, anorexia, nausea, etc., often accompanied by more severe headache, eye pain, body muscle pain, bone and joint pain, may be associated with facial, neck, chest flushing, should consider their own infection with dengue fever. At this point, you should go to a regular hospital as soon as possible, and take the initiative to explain to the doctor that you may have dengue fever, as soon as possible to get treatment. And take anti-mosquito isolation to prevent further spread.

Is there a vaccine for dengue prevention? How to treat?

At present, there is no approved vaccine for dengue fever, which means that there is no way to prevent dengue fever by vaccination.

There are currently no specific antiviral treatments, mainly supportive and symptomatic treatment measures. The principle of treatment is early detection, early diagnosis, early treatment, and early mosquito isolation. Early identification and timely treatment of severe cases is the key to reducing mortality.

How does dengue spread?

Dengue fever is a strict Aedes mosquito vector infection, which is transmitted by patients/hidden infections → Aedes mosquitoes → healthy people, and there is no direct transmission of diseases between people. After dengue fever patients or recessive infections are bitten by Aedes mosquitoes, the virus can be transmitted to healthy people through bites after 8-10 days of proliferation in Aedes mosquitoes. China is not a popular country for dengue fever. The population is generally susceptible. It may develop after 3-15 days of incubation, but some people do not develop it (called recessive infection).

What kind of mosquitoes are mainly transmitted from dengue fever in China?

Where are these mosquitoes distributed?

The vectors of dengue fever in China are Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti, commonly known as “flower mosquitoes”.

The Aedes mosquitoes that transmit dengue fever in China are mainly Aedes albopictus, distributed in Hainan Island in the south, to the south of Liaoning in the north, and to the vast area of ​​Baoji in Shaanxi in the west. Consistent with people’s activity time, before and after sunrise and sunset are the peak hours of their bites, which can be described as “sunrise and sunset”. The larvae of Aedes albopictus prefer clean water, tree holes, stone caves, water-filled tires in the community, discarded bowls, boxes, bottles and jars for water storage, leafhoppers of bushes, etc. Hotbed.

Aedes aegypti in China is mainly distributed in the coastal cities and counties and volcanic rocks of Hainan Province, the Leizhou Peninsula of Guangdong Province, the border area of ​​Yunnan Province and the southern part of Taiwan. Although it is limited in layout, its ability to transmit dengue fever is stronger than that of Aedes albopictus. In addition to the peak of biting in the morning and near dusk, Aedes aegypti is actively sucking blood throughout the day. Compared with Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti is more “close” to humans, and likes to live in a room with humans. Our drinking water storage tanks, hydroponic plants, flower pot holders, pickles, drinking fountains, etc. It is a hotbed for their reproduction.

Where do Aedes generally appear?

Aedes albopictus is inhabited near the breeding grounds. It mainly inhabits dark sheltered places, such as the inner walls of tanks, tanks and altars, and the inner walls of the foundations where water is accumulated on the construction site. In indoors, it tends to stay on the walls, tables and chairs. Under the bed, hanging clothes, etc.

Aedes aegypti is a typical “home mosquito”, which mainly inhabits indoors and shelters from the wind, such as the feet of water tanks, the back of cupboards, the bottom of bedroom, corners, mosquito nets, etc., and the black clothes with sweat stains are more popular.

Note: The place of breeding: refers to the growth of mosquito larvae and where mosquitoes lay eggs.

If you go to the dengue fever epidemic area, how to prevent dengue fever?

1. Wear long-sleeved pants, try to choose light colors, and use mosquito repellent products such as mosquito repellent to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes;

2. Install screen doors, screens, and use mosquito coils, anti-mosquito aerosols, etc. in the hotel room before going out. Note that even high-end hotels should also pay attention to indoor mosquito killing;

3. If you have suspicious symptoms during your stay, you need to see you promptly and take the initiative to explain the possibility of dengue fever;

4. After returning to the local area, if there is fever within 2 weeks, you should consult the doctor and explain the history of the outing. In order not to spread the disease to your family, please cooperate with the local health department and hospitalization treatment.

What can I do to reduce Aedes mosquitoes?

Aedes like to inhabit and inhabit humans. In order to reduce the number of twins, we should use a variety of means to clear the breeding grounds:

(1) Seal: cover water tank, water seal sewer sand well or install anti-mosquito device, seal useful utensils

(2) Filling: filling the crater, waste pond, ditch, bamboo hole, tree hole

(3) Shu: dredge ditch, shore silt and weeds

(4) Row: draining water

(5) Clear: remove small container garbage, garbage plastic film bags, waste bottles, cans and other garbage containers

Specifically include:

1. Turn over the pot and clean up all kinds of useless water around your home and surrounding area.

2. Keep your home and the surrounding environment clean and tidy, remove all kinds of sanitary corners and garbage.

3. People, livestock drinking water containers or other useful water storage containers can be completely changed once in 5-7 days.

4. Reduce the number of aquatic plants in the home, and replant the container for 5-7 days.

5. Live water in the home and surrounding landscape, stocking ornamental fish or local species of mosquito fish.

6. The tires are neatly stored indoors or sheltered from the rain. The outdoor use of rainproof cloth is tightly covered, and the outdoor waste tires are punched. It is difficult to remove the accumulated tires of disulfide.

7. Surrounding environment vegetation around the home can be used to kill Aedes mosquitoes with sensitive public health insecticides.

The post China CDC teaches you how to prevent and control dengue fever? appeared first on Doctorclean.