An evening dedicated to hygiene and infection prevention

Prize winners - from left to right: PD Dr. Tilman E. Klassert, Dr. Cristina Zubiria Barrera, Prof. Martin Exner, Elke Lemke, PD Dr. Rasmus Leistner

This year, Mr. PD Dr. rer. nat. Tilman E. Klassert, Mr. PD Dr. med. Rasmus Leistner, and Dr. med. Bärbel Christiansen were awarded.

– The Hygiene Award was shared in 2024: with the research group led by PD Dr. rer. nat. Tilman E. Klassert from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the research group of Charité Berlin under the leadership of PD Dr. med. Rasmus Leistner.
– They received the award for the studies: Formation of a hospital microbiome and environmental cleaning to prevent hospital infections.
– Dr. med. Bärbel Christiansen was awarded the Hygieia Medal for her life's work in the field of hygiene, particularly hospital hygiene and disinfection.

The festive award ceremony took place on March 15, 2024, at the Anglo-German Club in Hamburg. After the ceremonial opening speech by the chairman, Prof. Dr. med. Martin Exner from the University Hospital Bonn, and a speech by Jan-Dirk Auris, CEO of Schülke & Mayr GmbH, emphasizing the importance of research in infection prevention, the renowned Hygiene Award was presented this year for two works (detailed information below):

Study by the research group of PD Dr. rer. nat. Tilman E. Klassert1: Dynamics of bacterial colonization and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in the hospital environment after the first patient occupancy: a longitudinal metagenetic study.

Study by the research group of PD Dr. med. Rasmus Leistner2: Environmental cleaning to prevent hospital infections in non-intensive care units: a randomized, controlled crossover study at a center comparing soap-based, disinfectant, and probiotic cleaning.

The Hygiene Award of the Rudolf Schülke Foundation recognizes individuals whose work significantly contributes to developments in infection prevention and public health. The Board and Advisory Board of the Rudolf Schülke Foundation honor the achievements of the physicians with the €15,000 prize.

As part of this year's celebration, Dr. Bärbel Christiansen from Kiel also received the Hygieia Medal. This award is given every two years to individuals dedicated to hygiene and microbiology. Prof. Dr. med. Martin Exner, chairman of the Rudolf Schülke Foundation, particularly highlighted her role as chair of the Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention (KRINKO) in his laudation. Dr. Bärbel Christiansen was especially able to motivate members in developing highly complex recommendations. Her leadership of KRINKO was "a true masterpiece."

Details about the studies

The study by PD Dr. rer. nat. Tilman E. Klassert is the first international study to examine both the development of the hospital microbiome and the associated spread of antibiotic resistance determinants in the environment of a newly established hospital ward.

After the completion of the new high-rise bed building at Charité, the research group of PD Dr. rer. nat. Klassert collected surface samples (door handles, floors, and sinks) from nine different hospital rooms over a period of more than six months, before and after they were first occupied by patients. A total of 1,547 samples from surfaces and patients were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing methods to assess the microbiome composition and the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in hospital rooms.

This work aims to gain a deeper understanding of the structure of bacterial communities in the hospital environment (hospital microbiome). This understanding is crucial to prevent nosocomial infections and to contain the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. Notably, a highly significant increase in antibiotic resistance determinants was observed on the surfaces of the examined hospital rooms. The study laid the groundwork for further research within the framework of the KARMIN project (Federal Ministry of Education and Research), which investigated various cleaning strategies for the prevention of nosocomial infections and the containment of antibiotic resistance genes. One of these studies (Klassert et al., 2022) was immediately incorporated into a recommendation by KRINKO (Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention at the RKI) after publication.

The Rudolf Schülke Foundation also recognizes this study because it served as a basis for further research projects and contributed to understanding the microbiome as a stable component of the hospital environment and a potential reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes.

The study by the research group of PD Dr. med. Rasmus Leistner is the first international randomized clinical trial (RCT) focusing on preventing hospital infections through daily environmental cleaning in general wards. Two established cleaning agents (soap-based and disinfectant) were compared with a new group of substances, probiotic cleaners. The results show that all three cleaning methods are equally effective in preventing nosocomial infections in general wards.

The research group considered comparable baseline conditions, such as a low initial level of nosocomial infections similar to Germany, high-standard environmental cleaning (preventing cross-contamination, cleaning with microfiber cloths, high-quality staff training), and excellent hand hygiene compliance.

Probiotic cleaning agents are already used worldwide in hospital infection prevention and have additional properties that make them interesting for healthcare. Notably, their environmental friendliness and long-lasting cleaning effect through bacterial cleaning mechanisms, especially on biofilms.

The Rudolf Schülke Foundation awarded the study because it represents a milestone in infection prevention in hospitals.

About the Rudolf Schülke Foundation

The Rudolf Schülke Foundation's mission is to promote hygiene and microbiology with a focus on the prevention and control of communicable diseases. This includes the development and application of prevention and control strategies, as well as antimicrobial or antiviral agents and procedures for antisepsis, disinfection, cleaning, and their importance for patient safety. Its goal is to support interdisciplinary research and strengthen collaboration with universities.

Every two years, the Rudolf Schülke Foundation awards the Hygieia Medal. It recognizes individuals who have dedicated their life's work to hygiene and microbiology.

Sources:

1 Klassert TE, Leistner R, Zubiria-Barrera C, Stock M, López M, Neubert R, Driesch D, Gastmeier P, Slevogt H. Bacterial colonization dynamics and antibiotic resistance gene dissemination in the hospital environment after first patient occupancy: a longitudinal metagenetic study. Microbiome 9, 169 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-021-01109-7
2 Leistner R, Kohlmorgen B, Brodzinski A, Schwab F, Lemke E, Zakonsky G, Gastmeier P. Environmental cleaning to prevent hospital-acquired infections on non-intensive care units: a pragmatic, single-center, cluster-randomized controlled, crossover trial comparing soap-based, disinfection, and probiotic cleaning. EClinicalMedicine. 2023 Apr 6;59:101958. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101958. PMID: 37089619; PMCID: PMC10113752.