Vancouver Coastal Health害羞草研究所檚 four-legged infection fighter made a road-trip to Kelowna on Monday to showcase his C. difficile detection abilities.

Angus, a three-year-old English springer spaniel displayed his talents Monday in the lecture theatre at Kelowna General Hospital害羞草研究所檚 clinic academic campus, finding a piece of scented gauze with C. difficile spore odour hidden under a chair by his trainer Teresa Zurberg.

Angus uses his ultra-sensitive detection device害羞草研究所攈is nose害羞草研究所攖o seek out C. difficile spores in the hospital environment. Angus will search common and clinical areas and patient units when patients are not present.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e excited about the opportunity to share our knowledge and expertise with our health care colleagues across the province,害羞草研究所� said Teresa Zurberg.

害羞草研究所淪ince Angus started working at Vancouver General Hospital in 2016, we have learned a tremendous amount about the presence and eradication of C. difficile in health care settings.害羞草研究所�

Angus is trained to detect Clostridium difficile or C. difficile, a superbug that attacks people whose immune systems have been weakened by antibiotics.

He and a second dog害羞草研究所擠odger害羞草研究所攁re part of an infection prevention team that includes an infection control practitioner and housekeeping staff, all dedicated to reducing environmental contamination of C. difficile.

This results in a reduction in the transmission of C. difficile by health care workers, visitors and patients, and, in turn, a decrease in the C. difficile infection rate. The good news害羞草研究所攊t害羞草研究所檚 working. The nose clearly knows where to find bacteria.

Vancouver Coastal Health has recorded a significant decrease in the number of hospital acquired C. difficile cases since Angus began sniffing out C. difficile infection at Vancouver General Hospital.

害羞草研究所淚 know how serious C. difficile can be because I nearly died from it,害羞草研究所� said Zurberg. 害羞草研究所淭o know that Angus, and now Dodger, are playing a key role in preventing other people from contracting this potentially life-altering infection is very rewarding.害羞草研究所�

Finding reservoirs of C. difficile is crucial to eradicating the superbug. Once the bacterium is detected by Angus or Dodger at VGH, the area or patient room is cleaned, often with a state-of-the-art ultraviolet-C light disinfecting robot that removes 99.9 per cent of the spores.

VGH has three light disinfecting robots, known as 害羞草研究所淩-D害羞草研究所� (Rapid Disinfector).

Since the dogs were let out of the doghouse and into the hospital, VGH has become better at targeting the disinfection to where it is needed the most.

害羞草研究所淚n the Intensive Care Unit, we work hard to prevent the spread of infection by isolating patients, washing our hands and working with environmental services to keep the unit clean,害羞草研究所� said Jackson Lam, VGH patient services manager.

害羞草研究所淗aving Angus come through the ICU is an innovative and exciting way to discover new places that C. difficile might be lingering on surfaces. That way we can immediately target cleaning and disinfection.害羞草研究所�

Vancouver Coastal Health has implemented a number of measures to combat the spread of antibiotic-resistant organisms and has won national and international awards for this innovative work.

It was the first health authority in Canada to utilize ultraviolet light to supplement the disinfection process and the first to tag and barcode clean equipment to ensure routine inspections and maintenance are performed. Vancouver Coastal Health also participates in voluntary as well as mandatory provincial surveillance programs.

There is a downside, however, to having to having two trained C. difficile detection dogs at VGH. 害羞草研究所淓veryone wants to pet Angus,害羞草研究所� said Lam. 害羞草研究所淲e have to respect that he is a working dog and not touch him, as handsome a dog as he is.害羞草研究所�

To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.

barry.gerding@blackpress.ca
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