Water filtration capsules get medical device clearance, could improve infection control

Pall Medical – a division of filtration group Pall Corporation – says that its ‘QPoint’ water filter capsules have received FDA 510(k) clearance as a class ll medical device.

The sterilising grade, point-of-use, QPoint Filter Capsules may aid in infection control by retaining waterborne bacteria, fungi and protozoa from in-premise drinking water systems.

The capsules produce water suitable for washing and drinking, superficial wound cleansing, the cleaning of equipment used in medical procedures and washing of surgeons’ hands. Pall says that FDA 510(k) clearance means that healthcare providers can have a range of point-of-use (POU) water filters to support water hygiene control measures.

“Pall Medical products are designed using the latest technology to help prevent infection while also containing healthcare costs. Our QPoint Filter Capsules reduce risk from in-premise waterborne microorganisms by acting as a barrier at the point-of-use and protecting vulnerable users,” said Eric Garnier, general manager, Pall Medical.

Increasingly the threat from waterborne pathogens other than Legionella pneumophila is being recognised, with organisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Fusarium spp. also contributing to hospital-acquired infections.

Limited treatment options and increasing resistance concerns with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other Gram-negative pathogens have been recognised by the World Health Organization in its recent priority list of antibiotic resistant bacteria. The organisation highlighted the urgent need to develop effective antibiotics and employ interventions that could significantly reduce the burden of infections. A recent publication by Cara Bicking Kinsey and colleagues, who conducted investigations into identifying risk factors for transmission of Pseudomonas aeruginosa following an outbreak in a US Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, found that “Residing in a room without a POU filter was the strongest risk factor for having a P. aeruginosa culture”.

Pall point-of-use water filters may be installed for long-term protection of high-risk patient groups, and/or for more limited periods during remediation and construction, validation, equipment failure, and for immediate control when monitored microbial conditions drift outside the acceptable range.

“Pall-Aquasafe and QPoint water filter families are easy to install, require no additional plumbing, and are available with service programs for change-outs, making them a simple and effective control measure as part of clinical care, or as an immediate solution where there are spikes in microbial contamination,” said Vin Guercio, Senior Director, Global Marketing, Pall Medical.

Pall says that the capsules are supplied sterile and integrity tested. The membranes within the filter cartridge are rated and validated at 0.2 micron to remove bacteria, protozoa, fungi and particles in the water supply. They are intended to be used within healthcare environments such as hospitals, nursing homes, health care facilities or clinical settings where immune-compromised patients may be exposed to waterborne microorganisms originating from the water supply.