3M has introduced C. diff Solution Tablets as an alternative for providers looking to kill challenging Clostridium difficile spores.
The tablets dissolve in three minutes. The user can apply the solution with a cloth, wipe, mop or sprayer. They have a three-year shelf life in sealed packets and a seven-day shelf life when diluted and stored.
3M has been looking at C. diff solutions for about a decade, said Adrian Cook, product marketer for chemicals at 3M Commercial Solutions Division.
“We were not satisfied with the existing solutions on the market,” he told McKnight’s. Studies for 3M’s alternative chemistry within the tablets indicate it’s more effective at killing the spores than bleach, and carries safety benefits, he added.
Tablets are available in two sizes for use in large and small containers. They also help avoid surface damage that can occur with bleach.
“Bleaches have a pH with a range from 12 to 13, and it’s really aggressive on surfaces,” Cook said. “Our product carries a pH of 6, so it’s going to be safe on surfaces.”
Plus, “C. diff tablets are significantly less expensive,” Cook shared. The tablet format is relatively lightweight and occupies less space in storage. It has an NFPA rating of 0,0,0.
Cook recommended that providers consider the “Quat-based disinfectants,” such as the company’s concentrate 5A, for general daily cleaning, as it kills HIV-1, MRSA, VRE, herpes simplex I and II. The new C. diff product is for active cases, an isolation room or if someone is showing symptoms. The tablets are effective against norovirus as well.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate 453,000 C. diff cases per year, with 29,300 associated deaths.
From the January 01, 2017 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
