Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42188840›Full record

ArticleTropical medicine and infectious disease2026

Effectiveness and Sustainability of Water Chlorination in Public Healthcare Services in Guatemala.

Paulina Garzaro, Carmen Castillo, Natalie Fahsen, Lucas Santos, Joyce Lu, Christiana Hug, Matthew Lozier, Douglas R Call, Celia Cordón-Rosales, Brooke M Ramay

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Tropical medicine and infectious disease, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Paulina GarzaroCenter for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City 01015, Guatemala.
Carmen CastilloCenter for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City 01015, Guatemala.ORCID 0000-0003-0495-1949
Natalie FahsenCenter for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City 01015, Guatemala.ORCID 0009-0001-3991-7524
Lucas SantosCenter for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City 01015, Guatemala.
Joyce LuDepartment of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6879-8731
Christiana HugDivision of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
Matthew LozierDivision of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1000-151X
Douglas R CallPaul G. Allen School of Global Health, Washington State University (WSU), Pullman, WA 99164, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6791-055X
Celia Cordón-RosalesCenter for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City 01015, Guatemala.ORCID 0000-0003-2381-4173
Brooke M RamayCenter for Health Studies, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala City 01015, Guatemala.

Funding

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Global Disease Detection, Central America Re-gional Office (CDC-CAR). 6 U01GH002241-02-05
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionHealthcare-associated infections are a significant public health challenge, particularly in resource-limited settings. While hand hygiene is critical for infection prevention, contaminated water from hand hygiene stations (HHSs) in healthcare facilities (HCFs) may undermine infection control efforts. Chlorination can reduce microbial contamination in HHSs, ensuring that water intended for hygiene does not become an infection source.

methodsWater quality was monitored before and after the installation of on-site chlorine dispensers (CDs) in water tanks and HHSs of HCFs in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, to evaluate their effectiveness in improving water quality. Focus groups were conducted to develop action plan proposals to ensure the intervention's sustainability.

resultsBefore the intervention, 75% of HHS water samples tested positive for total coliforms, with 50% testing positive for presumptive extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing total coliforms, while 20% were

conclusionLocalized chlorination was successfully implemented using a community participatory approach to improve water quality in resource-limited HCFs. These findings have important implications for infection prevention and control.

Indexed as

effectivenesshand hygienehealthcare facilitiesparticipatory researchsustainabilitywater chlorination

Identifiers

PMID42188840
PMCPMC13211354

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.