Gurtler Director of R&D Discusses C. diff

Kevin McLaren, director of research and development for Gurtler Industries Inc., South Holland, IL, recently presented a telecourse titled “Hospital Laundry and C. difficile Spore Inactivation.”

The telecourse focused on healthcare laundering, including factors that impact the antimicrobial properties of the wash cycle, features of modern tunnel washers, the role of laundry bleach for stain removal and microbial control, the factors involved in the selection of laundry chemicals and the sporicidal properties of the modern laundry process.

The telecourse presented a brief historical perspective of the healthcare laundry as it pertains to microbial removal/kill. There was a summary of many of the evolutions which have occurred in the healthcare laundry space from 1938 to today. Focusing on the current healthcare market, the spore-forming bacterium Clostridioides difficile was addressed as a pathogen of concern specific to Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs), and a life-form (spore former) that requires additional research.

Also presenting was Lynn Sehulster, PhD, of Environmental Infection Prevention LLC, and previously with the Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Infectious Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The telecourse was offered through Webber Training, which presents an international lecture series on infection prevention and control topics. The course partner/sponsor was the American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA).

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