Comparison of the Efficacy of a Hydrogen Peroxide Dry‐Mist Disinfection System and Sodium Hypochlorite Solution for Eradication of Clostridium difficile Spores

Objective. To compare a hydrogen peroxide dry‐mist system and a 0.5% hypochlorite solution with respect to their ability to disinfect Clostridium difficile–contaminated surfaces in vitro and in situ. Design. Prospective, randomized, before‐after trial. Setting. Two French hospitals affected by C. difficile. Intervention. In situ efficacy of disinfectants was assessed in rooms that had housed patients with C. difficile infection. A prospective study was performed at 2 hospitals that involved randomization of disinfection processes. When a patient with C. difficile infection was discharged, environmental contamination in the patient's room was evaluated before and after disinfection. Environmental surfaces were sampled for C. difficile by use of moistened swabs; swab samples were cultured on selective plates and in broth. Both disinfectants were tested in vitro with a spore‐carrier test; in this test, 2 types of material, vinyl polychloride (representative of the room's floor) and laminate (representative o...