Application of rapid microbiological methods for the risk assessment of controlled biopharmaceutical environments.

AIMS: To assess the different operational states within a biopharmaceutical grade clean room, using a rapid microbiological method. The method was a novel system, based on spectrometry, designed for sampling, discriminating, and enumerating airborne particles. Central to the study was the aim to determine the microbiological levels as a clean room went from standard use through maintenance and shutdown, disinfection, and then back to standard use. The objective was to evaluate whether a rapid method could replace conventional environmental monitoring using growth-based media. METHODS AND RESULTS: The instrument evacuated was a BioVigilant IMD-A(®) System, which is a real-time and continuous monitoring technology based on optical spectroscopy that can differentiate between biological particles and inert ones (biological particles expressed as bio-counts based on the detection of microbial metabolites). The results indicated that certain activities lead to a high generation of biological particles and in showing an increase over the baseline, would be regarded as presenting a microbiological risk to the cleanroom. These activities include removing HEPA filter grilles, turning off an air handing unit, and tasks which requires an active personnel presence, such as cleaning and disinfection. CONCLUSIONS: The optical instrument can be used to process sufficient information, so that clean rooms can be returned to use following a period of unexpected downtime or following maintenance without the need to wait for the results from growth-based methods. As such, this type of rapid microbiological method is worth exploring further for clean room air monitoring. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Few studies have been undertaken which examine air-monitoring devices that can both enumerate and discriminate particulates, in a volume of air as 'inert' or 'biological'. This study extends this limited field. Furthermore, the data collected in relation to cleanrooms is of interest in helping microbiologists understand that risks posed by different activities in relation to clean air-handling systems and personnel particle shedding.

Drinking, drugs and driving in Ireland: more evidence for action.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of drug positivity among drivers suspected of driving under the influence of an intoxicant, and consequently apprehended by the police in Ireland. DESIGN: 2000 specimens were selected for drug analysis, 1000 with results under the limit for alcohol and 1000 over the limit. The limit for alcohol is 80 mg/100 ml in blood and 107 mg/100 ml in urine. Seven drugs/drug classes were examined; amphetamines, methamphetamines, benzodiazapines, cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates and methadone. RESULTS: 331 (33.1%) of the drivers under the legal limit for alcohol tested positive for one or more of the relevant drugs, and the corresponding figures of drivers over the limit was 142 (14.2%; p<0.001). Using weighted analysis, this corresponds to 15.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 13.5% to 18.1%) of all tested drivers (15.8% in men and 14.5% in women). Among drivers who had minimal blood alcohol levels, 67.9% (95% CI 61.2% to 74.1%) were taking at least one type of drug. The prevalence of taking drugs reduced steadily as alcohol concentrations increased, but still remained as high as 11.1% (95% CI 8.3% to 14.6%) for drivers with blood alcohol concentrations >200 mg/100 ml. Being under the limit for alcohol, stopped in a city area, stopped between 6 am and 4 pm, or 4 pm and 9 pm, and being of a younger age were each independently associated with drug positivity. CONCLUSIONS: There are immediate implications for the evidential breath alcohol program and for checkpoints; in the event of a nil or low alcohol reading being obtained, a separate blood or urine specimen should be sought for analysis, which is currently non-routine.