1418. The Effect of Dry Hydrogen Peroxide on Environmental Contamination with Candida auris in an Adult Burn Unit

BACKGROUND: Candida auris (C. auris) is an emerging multi-drug resistant pathogen that is a health threat for hospitalized patients. C. auris may survive on surfaces where standard disinfectants may not achieve adequate disinfection. Continuous dry hydrogen peroxide (DHP) reduces microbial bioburden on surfaces and may reduce the risk of C. auris transmission in the clinical care setting. This study reviews the efficacy of DHP exposure, coupled with routine environmental cleaning, on reducing microbial burden of C. auris on surfaces. METHODS: DHP-emitting systems were installed on burn intensive care and burn stepdown units. After install, for each patient newly identified with C. auris, baseline surface sampling of the patient room and other unit areas was performed beginning on the first day of positive culture, defined as Day 0. The DHP systems were activated and surface sampling collected to include days 1, 7, and 14. Select surfaces were sampled using polyurethane foam neutralizing buffer swabs. Individual swabs were grouped into three composites: Inner Patient Halo, Outer Patient Halo, and Mobile Shared Equipment (Table 1). Bioburden was assessed through cultures of the swabs and the identification and enumeration of resulting colony forming units (CFU). A multivariate regression model was used to evaluate the potential relationship between duration of DHP exposure and the logarithmically transformed counts of C. auris yielded by the samples. [Figure: see text] RESULTS: Three patients were identified, resulting in collection of 36 composite swabs. C. auris CFU were obtained from all composite swabs, with observed decrease in count over time (Figure 1). In a regression model including included covariates for time, room and patient proximity, there was a statistically significant relationship between C. auris bioburden and exposure to DHP (Table 2, F(5,30)=6.999, p< 0.001, adjusted R(2)=0.461), with duration of DHP exposure adding significantly to the relationship, p=0. [Figure: see text] [Figure: see text] CONCLUSION: Continuous DHP, coupled with routine environmental cleaning, augments disinfection and is effective in reducing surface microbial bioburden in rooms of patients with C. auris colonization/infection. To fully understand the synergism between routine environmental cleaning and DHP, further research is needed. DISCLOSURES: All Authors: No reported disclosures