Washing hands alone is not enough: Hospital-acquired infections are becoming an increasing concern. How can hygiene in healthcare settings be improved? What innovative, practical solutions are available? The Hamburg Hygiene Symposium, which will premiere on September 11, aims to offer fresh insights into these questions. The event is held under the motto “What’s shaping the world of hygiene!” and puts a spotlight on current developments in hygiene, infection prevention, and healthcare, while offering space for dialogue and networking.

Hospital pathogens and antibiotic resistance are two major challenges faced by healthcare professionals across Germany. The urgency of the issue is highlighted by figures from the Robert Koch Institute: an estimated 400,000–600,000 patients in Germany contract hospital-acquired infections each year, leading to approximately 10,000 to 20,000 deaths.

Yet many hospital-acquired infections – referred to in the medical field as “nosocomial infections” – are preventable. A simple but effective measure is the regular washing and disinfecting of hands. However, hand hygiene alone is not enough to stop the spread of resistant pathogens or to avoid compromising patient recovery.

That’s why the first Hamburg Hygiene Symposium at the Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) will focus on new ideas and hands-on solutions for preventing hospital-acquired infections. The event, taking place on September 11, was initiated by the HIHeal next level (Hygiene, Infection & Health) project – a joint initiative by Life Science Nord and the UKE’s Hospital Hygiene Department – and targets hygiene professionals, hygiene engineers and technicians, as well as individuals working in hospital hygiene in nursing or medical roles, or those with a professional interest in the field.

A new phase for networking and knowledge transfer

With the hygiene symposium, HIHeal aims to usher in a new phase of networking and knowledge transfer – closing a gap that emerged in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “In line with the HIHeal network’s mission, the symposium represents cross-sector collaboration, which is essential for the future of infection prevention,” says Dr. Georg Eschenburg, head of the HIHeal next level project and Innovation & Technologies Manager at Life Science Nord.

According to Dr. Judith Niesen, science manager at the UKE’s Hospital Hygiene Department (ABKH) and project manager of HIHeal next level, the new congress is above all “an ideal platform to drive progress in hospital hygiene, promote collaboration, and improve patient health over the long term – both regionally and sustainably.”

Alongside talks on current hygiene challenges, the symposium will offer real-life case insights from clinical settings, foster dialogue between professionals from practice and research, and invite participants to network. “I hope the symposium will be more than just another professional congress – it should be a catalyst and source of inspiration for new ideas, bold discussions, interprofessional collaboration, and concrete innovations,” says Eschenburg.

Effectively combating infections and resistance

Antibiotic resistance, multidrug-resistant bacteria, fungal infections, and new regulatory requirements are just a few of the challenges addressed at the congress. The focus is also on how clinics and hospitals can fight infections and resistance.

“Key infection prevention measures include proper hand hygiene and surface disinfection, safe reprocessing and handling of medical devices, special protective protocols when dealing with infected individuals, and promotion of vaccination,” explains Dr. Hanne Warnk, hygiene and environmental medicine specialist at MEDILYS Laborgesellschaft. With years of surgical experience, she knows that only “consistent implementation of hygiene measures” can stop the spread of resistant pathogens and reduce infection rates.

Hospital hygiene expert Johannes Knobloch hopes the congress will broaden the focus of current hygiene practices. “For many years, we’ve concentrated mainly on hand hygiene among medical staff, while paying less scientific attention to the role of inanimate surfaces and wastewater systems in hospitals. These areas deserve renewed scientific focus going forward,” emphasizes Knobloch.

Environmental factors such as pollutants also pose risks. “They can increase susceptibility to infections or thus reduce the effectiveness of hygiene measures,” Warnk explains. This also underscores the need to reduce antibiotic use in both clinical and outpatient settings to curb the development of resistant pathogens. “What’s crucial here is intensive staff training in rational antibiotic therapy.”

Knobloch agrees that future efforts should include “targeted measures to prevent the spread of pathogens from environmental sources.” For this, a deeper understanding of the hospital environment’s role in pathogen transmission is essential.

Lab work plays a critical role in identifying hospital pathogens. One proven method for early detection is prospective genomic surveillance (PGS). “This involves routinely typing specific bacterial isolates via Next Generation Sequencing (NGS),” explains PD Dr. Tobias Kramer, medical director at LADR Central Laboratory Dr. Kramer & Colleagues. He says the method is more specific and can often help identify outbreaks faster and in an early stage. “In addition, we’re currently testing the introduction of automated surveillance for nosocomial infections to provide clinical staff with critical data and ease their monitoring efforts,” reports Kramer.

He also highlights the growing importance of “personalized” or “individualized” infection prevention. According to Kramer, supporting this development with evidence-based measures and intervention strategies requires a comprehensive understanding of the causes of infection, risk factors, and pathogen interactions.

Solutions and new standards for hospital hygiene

The Hamburg Hygiene Symposium can contribute to this. “Opportunities for exchange are essential. We can learn a lot from each other’s experiences and approaches and use them to significantly advance hygiene in healthcare,” says Kramer.

For Eschenburg, Hamburg not only offers an “excellent medical and scientific infrastructure.” More importantly, “the collaboration between stakeholders in the HIHeal framework and the even closer partnership between Life Science Nord and UKE since 2024 create the ideal conditions for a future-focused expert event.”

“There’s still no established, cross-regional and interdisciplinary platform in northern Germany that deals with current topics in hygiene and infection prevention in a comprehensive and practical way,” says Eschenburg.

I hope the symposium will be more than just another professional congress – it should be a catalyst and source of inspiration for new ideas, bold discussions, interprofessional collaboration, and concrete innovations.

Georg Eschenburg

Hub for innovation in infection prevention

The next hygiene congress is planned for 2027 – and could expand beyond a one-day event to include professional development and training. “In the long term, we want to establish a platform that showcases new research findings, clinical insights, technological innovations, and cross-sector perspectives equally,” says Eschenburg.

“My goal is to create a vibrant community of learners – a network that grows together, defines new standards, and initiates sustainable collaborations.”

Niesen adds: “A dedicated congress on hospital hygiene in Hamburg could permanently elevate the profile of this vital field and help position the region as a key hub for innovation in infection prevention.” The first Hamburg Hygiene Symposium lays the foundation for this vision.

Text: Beatrix Boldt
Article picture: Main entrance UKE (Wikipedia CC0)