Silica nanoparticles with encapsulated DNA (SPED) to trace the spread of pathogens in healthcare

Table 1 Swabbing sites in the ‘Patient experiment’ for all three runs

	Sampling sites before deployment of SPED at baseline	Sampling sites immediately after toilet sequence	Sampling sites after eight-hour interval
Patient skin
Subgluteal skin patient A	X	X
Hands/palms patient A	X		X
Subgluteal skin patient B	X	X
Hands/palms patient B	X		X
Restroom
Toilet seat after patient A	X	X
Flush plate after patient A	X	X
Tap handle after patient A	X	X
Door handle after patient A	X	X
Toilet seat after patient B	X	X
Flush plate after patient B	X	X
Tap handle after patient B	X	X
Door handle after patient B	X	X
Patient room
Bed control patient A	X		X
Private phone patient A*	X		X
Entertainment device patient A†	X		X
Intravenous pump patient A	X		X
Bed control patient B	X		X
Private phone patient B*	X		X
Entertainment device patient B†	X		X
Intravenous pump patient B	X		X
Nurse’s office
Nurse’s mobile phone	X		X
Nurse’s office keyboard	X		X
Doctor’s office
Doctor’s mobile phone	X		X
Doctor’s office Keyboard	X		X

SPED silica nanoparticles with encapsulated DNA
*The patients’ private mobile phone was swapped if available, otherwise the beside phone provided by hospital
^†The most used device was assessed (among tablet, e-reader, laptop, hospital bedside TV): Run 1 A: tablet, B: bedside hospital TV; Run 2 A: e-reader, B: bedside hospital TV; Run 3 A: tablet, B: bedside hospital TV

ISSN: 2047-2994