At Infection Prevention Society Conference Leading Medical Microbiologist Professor Mark Wilcox presented the latest results of a multisite study across three countries and in real life settings in a in-depth session on October 1st.
At this IPS Conference, now in its 11th year, leading experts in their field have presented on the latest current and emerging threats and state-of- the-art research in Infection Control and Prevention. There were a comprehensive series of presentations, meet-the- expert sessions and specialist streams of: wound care, paediatric care, mental health, audit / surveillance and international engagement. Professor Wilcox’s 30-minute presentation – titled : Is the choice of hand drying method a decision for infection control teams rather than facilities? was based on the peer reviewed multicentre study he led – together with Professor Frederic Barbut and Professor Silvio Brusaferro – in France, Italy and UK, exploring the prevalence of environmental contamination (including by antibiotic resistant bacteria) in hospital toilets used by visitors, staff and patients according to two hand drying methods: paper towels and jet air dryers. Commenting on the study he led, Professor Wilcox said, “Hand hygiene is one of the most important components of infection prevention and these findings have serious implications for minimising the spread of bacteria including MRSA, enterobacteria and enterococci in hospital toilets.” For full details of methodology click here.
ETS was present with booth n. 226, where the important results of the Multisite Study were shared with the attending delegates and visitors.
Note to editors
Professor Wilcox Biography
Prof. Mark Wilcox is a consultant microbiologist and the Head of Research and Development in Microbiology at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTHT), Professor of Medical Microbiology at the University of Leeds, and Lead on Clostridium difficile for Public Health England (PHE).
He serves in numerous advisory roles including as a medical advisor to National Infection Prevention & Control Lead (NHS Improvement), England, the Medical Research Council’s Infection and Immunity Panel, and he is Chair of PHE’s Rapid Review Panel (reviews the utility of infection prevention & control products for the NHS) and Deputy Chair of the Department of Health’s Antimicrobial Prescribing and Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection committee (APRHAI).
He was formerly the Director of Infection Prevention (4 years), Infection Control Doctor (8 years), and Clinical Director of Pathology (6 years) at LTHT and Head of Microbiology (15 years). Prof Wilcox leads a Healthcare Associated Infection Research Group at the University of Leeds, comprising ~30 doctors, scientists and nurses.
About ETS
ETS is the European Tissue Paper Industry Association. The members of ETS represent the majority of tissue paper producers throughout Europe and around 90% of the total European tissue production. ETS was founded in 1971 and is based in Brussels. For more information: www.europeantissue.com.
Editorial contacts:
duomedia
Dorien Cooreman | tel. +32 2 560 21 50 | dorien.c@duomedia.com
ETS
Fanis Papakostas | tel. + 49 15 20 27 79 147| fanis.papakostas2@gmail.com
