Research Topics
| W A RutalaSummaryAffiliation: University of North Carolina Country: USA Publications
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Publications
How to assess risk of disease transmission to patients when there is a failure to follow recommended disinfection and sterilization guidelinesWilliam A Rutala
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 28:146-55. 2007..Disinfection and sterilization are critical components of infection control. Unfortunately, breaches of disinfection and sterilization guidelines are not uncommon...- The benefits of surface disinfectionWilliam A Rutala
Am J Infect Control 33:434-5. 2005 - Room decontamination with UV radiationWilliam A Rutala
Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care, and the Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 7030, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 31:1025-9. 2010..To determine the effectiveness of a UV-C-emitting device to eliminate clinically important nosocomial pathogens in a contaminated hospital room... 
Efficacy of improved hydrogen peroxide against important healthcare-associated pathogensWilliam A Rutala
Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 33:1159-61. 2012..Improved HP is significantly superior to standard HP at the same concentration and can be used for disinfection of environmental surfaces or noncritical patient care items...- Reprocessing endoscopes: United States perspectiveW A Rutala
Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
J Hosp Infect 56:S27-39. 2004.... - Microbiologic evaluation of microfiber mops for surface disinfectionWilliam A Rutala
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 7030, USA
Am J Infect Control 35:569-73. 2007..Recently, health care facilities have started to use a microfiber mopping technique rather than a conventional, cotton string mop to clean floors... - Disinfection and sterilization in health care facilities: what clinicians need to knowWilliam A Rutala
Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 7030, USA
Clin Infect Dis 39:702-9. 2004..Adherence to these recommendations should improve disinfection and sterilization practices in health care facilities, thereby reducing infections associated with contaminated patient-care items... 
Efficacy of hospital germicides against adenovirus 8, a common cause of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis in health care facilitiesWilliam A Rutala
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
Antimicrob Agents Chemother 50:1419-24. 2006....- Bacterial contamination of keyboards: efficacy and functional impact of disinfectantsWilliam A Rutala
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 27:372-7. 2006..This study was performed to determine the degree of microbial contamination, the efficacy of different disinfectants, and the cosmetic and functional effects of the disinfectants on the computer keyboards... - Disinfection of a probe used in ultrasound-guided prostate biopsyWilliam A Rutala
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 28:916-9. 2007..Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsies are among the most common outpatient diagnostic procedures in urology clinics and carry the risk of introducing pathogens that may lead to infection... - Sterilization, high-level disinfection, and environmental cleaningWilliam A Rutala
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care, Chapel Hill, 101 Manning Drive, NC 27514, USA
Infect Dis Clin North Am 25:45-76. 2011..In addition, current issues and practices associated with environmental cleaning are reviewed... - Impact of an oil-based lubricant on the effectiveness of the sterilization processes William A Rutala
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 7030, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 29:69-72. 2008.... - New disinfection and sterilization methodsW A Rutala
University of North Carolina UNC Health Care System and UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
Emerg Infect Dis 7:348-53. 2001.... - Levels of microbial contamination on surgical instrumentsW A Rutala
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, USA
Am J Infect Control 26:143-5. 1998..This suggests that new low-temperature sterilization technologies are likely to be highly effective in preventing cross-transmission of infection via nonlumen medical instruments... - Surface disinfection: should we do it?W A Rutala
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina Health Care System, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill 27514, USA
J Hosp Infect 48:S64-8. 2001..It concludes that while non-critical surfaces are uncommonly associated with transmission of infections to patients, one should clean and disinfect surfaces on a regularly scheduled basis... - Uses of inorganic hypochlorite (bleach) in health-care facilitiesW A Rutala
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, USA
Clin Microbiol Rev 10:597-610. 1997..Despite the increasing availability of other disinfectants, hypochlorites continue to find wide use in hospitals... - The effects of test variables on the efficacy of hand hygiene agentsEmily E Sickbert-Bennett
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Healthcare System, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
Am J Infect Control 32:69-83. 2004..in vitro suspension test)... - Faucet aerators: A source of patient colonization with Stenotrophomonas maltophiliaD J Weber
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill 27599 7030, USA
Am J Infect Control 27:59-63. 1999..If additional clusters of infected or colonized patients are linked to contaminated aerators, consideration should be given to routine disinfection or removal of the aerators... - The benefits of surface disinfectionWilliam A Rutala
University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, USA
Am J Infect Control 32:226-31. 2004 - Comparative efficacy of hand hygiene agents in the reduction of bacteria and virusesEmily E Sickbert-Bennett
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, North Carolina, USA
Am J Infect Control 33:67-77. 2005..Health care-associated infections most commonly result from person-to-person transmission via the hands of health care workers... - Outbreaks associated with contaminated antiseptics and disinfectantsDavid J Weber
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7030, USA
Antimicrob Agents Chemother 51:4217-24. 2007 - Microbiology of ventilator-associated pneumonia compared with that of hospital-acquired pneumoniaDavid J Weber
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 28:825-31. 2007..This evaluation assessed whether the currently recommended empirical therapy is appropriate for both ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and HAP by evaluating the infecting flora... - Lessons learned from a norovirus outbreak in a locked pediatric inpatient psychiatric unitDavid J Weber
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 26:841-3. 2005..Factors contributing to the outbreak included environmental contamination, close staff-patient contact including sharing meals, and inability to confine the index patient with the use of contact precautions... - Comparison of hospitalwide surveillance and targeted intensive care unit surveillance of healthcare-associated infectionsDavid J Weber
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 7030, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 28:1361-6. 2007..In addition, we assessed whether the infection rates in step-down units more resemble those in wards or ICUs... - A quantitative approach to defining "high-touch" surfaces in hospitalsKirk Huslage
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, UNC Health Care, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 31:850-3. 2010..Five surfaces were defined as high-touch surfaces: the bed rails, the bed surface, the supply cart, the over-bed table, and the intravenous pump... - Role of hospital surfaces in the transmission of emerging health care-associated pathogens: norovirus, Clostridium difficile, and Acinetobacter speciesDavid J Weber
Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Am J Infect Control 38:S25-33. 2010..Current hand hygiene guidelines and recommendations for surface cleaning/disinfection should be followed in managing outbreaks because of these emerging pathogens... - Effects of air temperature and relative humidity on coronavirus survival on surfacesLisa M Casanova
Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
Appl Environ Microbiol 76:2712-7. 2010..TGEV and MHV could serve as conservative surrogates for modeling exposure, the risk of transmission, and control measures for pathogenic enveloped viruses, such as SARS-CoV and influenza virus, on health care surfaces... - Control of healthcare-associated Staphylococcus aureus: Survey of practices in North Carolina hospitalsDavid J Weber
University of North Carolina, Department of Hospital Epidemiology, Chapel Hill, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 30:909-11. 2009..We report here the results of a survey of 70 hospitals in North Carolina with regard to current management issues surrounding methicillin-resistant S. aureus... - Efficacy of selected hand hygiene agents used to remove Bacillus atrophaeus (a surrogate of Bacillus anthracis) from contaminated handsDavid J Weber
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill CB 7030, 130 Mason Farm Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 7030, USA
JAMA 289:1274-7. 2003..However, only limited data are available on the susceptibility of B anthracis to antiseptics... - Preventing healthcare-associated Aspergillus infections: review of recent CDC/HICPAC recommendationsDavid J Weber
Division of Infectious Diseases, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 7030, USA
Med Mycol 47:S199-209. 2009.... - Survival of surrogate coronaviruses in waterLisa Casanova
Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Water Res 43:1893-8. 2009..Coronaviruses can remain infectious for long periods in water and pasteurized settled sewage, suggesting contaminated water is a potential vehicle for human exposure if aerosols are generated... - Immunization of immunocompromised personsDavid J Weber
Adult Infectious Disease Division, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, CB 7030, Bioinformatics Building, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 7030, USA
Immunol Allergy Clin North Am 23:605-34, v-vi. 2003..This article reviews the benefits of and risks for immunization in immunocompromised persons and provides recommendations for the use of specific vaccines... - Compliance with isolation precautions at a university hospitalDavid J Weber
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 28:358-61. 2007..5% (13 observations); contact isolation, 73.3% (165 observations); and protective isolation, 73.6% (72 observations). As with hand hygiene, there is suboptimal compliance with recommended isolation precautions... - Central line-associated bloodstream infections: prevention and managementDavid J Weber
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 2163 Bioinformatics, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 7030, USA
Infect Dis Clin North Am 25:77-102. 2011.... - Clinical effectiveness of low-temperature sterilization technologiesW A Rutala
University of North Carolina School of Medicine, the Department of Hospital Epidemiology, UNC Hospitals, Chapel Hill 27599 7030, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 19:798-804. 1998.... - Risks and prevention of nosocomial transmission of rare zoonotic diseasesD J Weber
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 7030, USA
Clin Infect Dis 32:446-56. 2001..Adherence to recommended isolation precautions will allow for proper patient care while protecting the health care workers who provide care to patients with known or suspected zoonotic infections capable of nosocomial transmission... - Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: recommendations for disinfection and sterilizationW A Rutala
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine and the Department of Hospital Epidemiology, UNC Health Care System, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7030, USA
Clin Infect Dis 32:1348-56. 2001..g., surgical instruments) and semicritical devices contaminated with high-risk tissue (i.e., brain, spinal cord, and eye tissue) from high-risk patients--those with known or suspected infection with CJD--require special treatment... - Pseudomonas aeruginosa-related postoperative endophthalmitis linked to a contaminated phacoemulsifierKaren K Hoffmann
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 7030, Burnett-Womack, Room 547, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7030, USA
Arch Ophthalmol 120:90-3. 2002 - Use of germicides in the home and the healthcare setting: is there a relationship between germicide use and antibiotic resistance?David J Weber
Division of Infectious Disease, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, hapel Hill, NC 27599 7030, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 27:1107-19. 2006..The spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens represents an increasing threat in healthcare facilities. Concern has been expressed that the use of surface disinfectants and antiseptics may select for antibiotic-resistant pathogens... - The emerging nosocomial pathogens Cryptosporidium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Helicobacter pylori, and hepatitis C: epidemiology, environmental survival, efficacy of disinfection, and control measuresD J Weber
Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599-7030, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 22:306-15. 2001.... - Multi-use Venturi nasal atomizer contamination in a clinical rhinologic practiceMarc G Dubin
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
Am J Rhinol 18:151-6. 2004..CONCLUSION: Microbial contamination of questionable clinical significance may occur with nasal atomizers. Regardless of this significance, wiping the devices with isopropyl alcohol can eliminate microbial growth for a 2-week interval... - Lessons learned: protection of healthcare workers from infectious disease risksDavid J Weber
Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Crit Care Med 38:S306-14. 2010..To summarize current concepts on preventing occupationally acquired infections in healthcare workers... - Managing the risk of nosocomial transmission of prion diseasesDavid J Weber
Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, USA
Curr Opin Infect Dis 15:421-5. 2002..g. surgical instruments) and semicritical devices contaminated with high-risk tissue (i.e. brain, spinal cord, eye) from high-risk patients (e.g. with known or suspected Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) require special treatment... - Registration of disinfectants based on relative microbicidal activityWilliam A Rutala
Division of Infectious Disease, University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine, Department of Hospital Epidemiology, MPH, CB #7030 Bioinformatics Building, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7030, USA
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 25:333-41. 2004 - Virus transfer from personal protective equipment to healthcare employees' skin and clothingLisa Casanova
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
Emerg Infect Dis 14:1291-3. 2008..Following this protocol often resulted in virus transfer to hands and clothing. An altered protocol or other measures are needed to prevent healthcare worker contamination... - Recognition and management of anthraxDavid J Weber
N Engl J Med 346:943-5; author reply 943-5. 2002 - CryptosporidiosisDavid J Weber
N Engl J Med 347:1287. 2002 - Multi-society guideline for reprocessing flexible gastrointestinal endoscopes. Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of AmericaDouglas B Nelson
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 24:532-7. 2003..The organizations that endorsed this guideline are committed to assisting the FDA and manufacturers in addressing critical infection control issues in gastrointestinal device reprocessing... - Multi-society guideline for reprocessing flexible gastrointestinal endoscopesDouglas B Nelson
Dis Colon Rectum 47:413-20; discussion 420-1. 2004 - Effects of long-term storage on sterility of medical suppliesWilliam A Rutala
Am J Infect Control 34:248. 2006 - Semipermeable dressing used to cover smallpox vaccination sites as a cause of skin damageElaine Crittenton
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 25:96. 2004 - Multidrug-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a patient with burnsSherene S Min
Clin Infect Dis 36:1210-1. 2003