ROSWELL, Ga., July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Professional announced today the North American launch of KIMTECH* One-Step Germicidal Wipe at the 37th Annual Educational Conference & International Meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), July 11–15 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100712/CL33757 )

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100712/CL33757 )

KIMTECH* One-Step Germicidal Wipe is an EPA registered product that features a new chemistry to quickly and effectively clean and disinfect environmental surfaces, killing MRSA in 30 seconds and C. difficile spores in six minutes, versus 10 minutes, as required by other environmental surface disinfectants.

Eliminating infection-causing organisms, some of which can survive on environmental surfaces for up to five months,(1) is a top concern for infection control and environmental services professionals, according to a recent survey conducted by Kimberly-Clark Professional. In fact, more than 78 percent of survey respondents stated their greatest surface cleaning challenge was maintaining proper contact times to kill the largest number of organisms, while more than 55 percent of respondents were concerned about the effectiveness of their current surface cleaning products and processes for killing pathogens that cause healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

"KIMTECH* One-Step Germicidal Wipe has a revolutionary chemistry that addresses the key challenges of those working on the frontlines to ensure surfaces are properly cleaned and disinfected to minimalize the threat of infection," said Brad Reynolds, senior category manager, Kimberly-Clark Professional. "With a significant reduction in contact times required to kill the most pervasive and threatening superbugs, and the risk of dilution errors and spills eliminated, KIMTECH* One-Step Germicidal Wipe provides an easy-to-use and effective means to help break the chain of transmission and ensure the safety of patients and healthcare workers."

KIMTECH* One-Step Germicidal Wipe combines the power of peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide with a proprietary wiper treatment, which keeps the solution active over time, allowing it to kill a broad spectrum of organisms.

The peracetic acid breaks into the outer membrane or coat of the target spore, bacteria or virus. Then, the hydrogen peroxide oxidizes and destroys its internal components. This dual action quickly kills 35 organisms.

The pre-moistened KIMTECH* One-Step Germicidal Wipe is dispensed as ready-to-use individual sheets. The single-use wipe means less cross-contamination between rooms and surfaces. Compared to traditional cleaning methods, such as disinfectant sprays and bucket systems, the risk of spills and dilution errors are eliminated, and inhalation-related issues are reduced. This groundbreaking chemistry is non-corrosive and is not damaging to most surfaces. The KIMTECH* One-Step Germicidal Wipe active ingredients also decompose into water, oxygen and vinegar.

The recent Kimberly-Clark survey revealed that both infection control and environmental services professionals recognize the importance of removing and killing microbes on surfaces, with more than 90 percent of respondents stating environmental surface cleaning is extremely important in controlling infection in the healthcare environment. In fact, more than 64 percent of environmental services professionals stated that they collaborate at least quarterly with their infection control team to evaluate surface cleaning products and protocols.

"Through partnering and collaborating with healthcare organizations, Kimberly-Clark is working to address the key challenges that threaten quality patient outcomes and staff safety," said Jan Spencer, president, Global Kimberly-Clark Professional. "Innovations like KIMTECH* One-Step Germicidal Wipe mark a huge step toward winning in the battle against C. difficile and other superbugs that cause HAIs. The battle against HAIs will remain a constant focus for us here at Kimberly-Clark."

The Potential for Hospital Infections and the Increasing Prevalence of C. Difficile

At any given time, more than 1.7 million people worldwide are suffering from infections acquired in a healthcare setting.(2) These persistent infections lead to at least 99,000 deaths annually in the U.S. alone, with a price tag as high as $5 billion.(2),(3)

Today, Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) account for 15–25 percent of all antibiotic-associated disease (AAD).(4) In fact, a recent survey by Duke University revealed that C. difficile has surpassed MRSA as the most prevalent healthcare-associated infection among patients in the southeast U.S.(5) There are 3 million new cases of CDI annually, with 500,000 hospitalizations for C. difficile Associated Disease (CDAD) each year. The infection results in some 28,000 deaths each year according to the CDC and an in-hospital mortality rate approximately 4.5 times higher than average.(6)

A comprehensive and coordinated approach to preventing infection in the healthcare setting includes surface disinfection and hand hygiene as well as the appropriate application of barrier precautions.

For more information and/or a free sample of KIMTECH* One-Step Germicidal Wipe, contact your Kimberly-Clark representative or visit www.kimtech.com/usgermicidalwipe.

Knowledge is Power: Search and Destroy - Eliminating Pathogens in the Patient Care Environment

The Kimberly-Clark Knowledge Network* will host in-booth educational sessions on environmental cleaning and effective elimination of pathogens such as C. diff, MRSA and VRE. Each session earns participants two hours of continuing education credit. Sessions are held every hour starting on Monday, July 12, at noon and on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 13 and 14, starting at 10:15 a.m. CDT. To learn more, visit Kimberly-Clark at APIC booth #1234.

Kimberly-Clark Professional is an indispensable business partner, delivering leading-edge health, hygiene and productivity solutions that provide tangible value every day, everywhere.

Known for innovative, quality solutions for away-from-home washrooms, "clean" and "industrial" manufacturing environments, and DIY settings, the global brands of Kimberly-Clark Professional include Kleenex, Scott, Kimcare, WypAll, KleenGuard, and Kimtech. Kimberly-Clark Professional, located in Roswell, Ga., is one of Kimberly-Clark Corporation's (NYSE: KMB) four business segments and can be visited on the web at www.kcprofessional.com.

About Kimberly-Clark

Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people - almost a quarter of the world's population - trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries.

(1) Kramer A. BMC ID 2006; McFarland L, et al. American Journal of Infection Control 2007.

(2) http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/hai.html

(3) Guidelines on Prevention and Control of Hospital Acquired Infections, World Health Organization 2002.

(4) Tedesco FJ, Clindamycin-Associated Colitis, A Prospective Study Ann Intern Med  1974;81(4):429-433

(5) Becky A. Miller, MD, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC "The Impact of Hospital-Onset Healthcare Facility Associated (HO-HCFA) Clostridium Difficile Infection (CDI) in Community Hospitals" presented at Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections March 2010.

(6) Exlishuaser A. Medical Care Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (H-CUP) Statistical Brief #50 April 2008 US Agency for  Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville MD.  

www.hcup-us.ahrg.gov/toolssoftware/ccs/ccs.jsp

SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Professional