What about Clostridium difficile? Is there a risk using reusable sharps containers?
Frequently Asked Questions
What about Clostridium difficile? Is there a risk using reusable sharps containers?
No transmission of C. difficile via sharps containers, reusable or disposable, has been reported in the world literature. The CDC state reusable sharps containers are not a source of pathogen transmission, and this has been confirmed in a formal, peer-reviewed Risk Assessment. Furthermore, a recent, multi-centre study examined carriage of C-diff spores on sharps container surfaces in the rooms of C-diff patients, and found no significant difference between reusable and disposable containers. The study also confirmed that when Sharpsmarts were coated with a heavy suspension of C-diff spores, the Daniels Washsmart robotic-washing process removed all spores from the sharps containers.