Evaluation of an Ultraviolet C (UVC) Light-Emitting Device for Disinfection of High Touch Surfaces in Hospital Critical Areas

Beatrice Casini, Benedetta Tuvo, Maria Luisa Cristina, Anna Maria Spagnolo, Michele Totaro, Angelo Baggiani and Gaetano Pierpaolo Privitera
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Beatrice Casini: Department of Translational Research, N.T.M.S., University of Pisa, via San Zeno, 37/39-56127 Pisa, Italy
Benedetta Tuvo: Department of Translational Research, N.T.M.S., University of Pisa, via San Zeno, 37/39-56127 Pisa, Italy
Maria Luisa Cristina: Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, via Pastore, 1-16132 Genoa, Italy
Anna Maria Spagnolo: Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, via Pastore, 1-16132 Genoa, Italy
Michele Totaro: Department of Translational Research, N.T.M.S., University of Pisa, via San Zeno, 37/39-56127 Pisa, Italy
Angelo Baggiani: Department of Translational Research, N.T.M.S., University of Pisa, via San Zeno, 37/39-56127 Pisa, Italy
Gaetano Pierpaolo Privitera: Department of Translational Research, N.T.M.S., University of Pisa, via San Zeno, 37/39-56127 Pisa, Italy

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 19, 1-10

Abstract: Implementation of environmental cleaning and disinfection has been shown to reduce the incidences of healthcare-associated infections. The effect of an enhanced strategy for terminal room disinfection, applying the pulsed xenon-based ultraviolet light no-touch disinfection systems (PX-UVC) after the current standard operating protocol (SOP) was evaluated. In a teaching hospital, the effectiveness in reducing the total bacterial count (TBC) and in eliminating high-concern microorganisms was assessed on five high-touch surfaces in different critical areas, immediately pre- and post-cleaning and disinfection procedures (345 sampling sites). PX-UVC showed only 18% (15/85) of positive samples after treatment compared to 63% (72/115) after SOP. The effectiveness of PX-UVC was also observed in the absence of manual cleaning and application of a chemical disinfectant. According to the hygienic standards proposed by the Italian Workers Compensation Authority, 9 of 80 (11%) surfaces in operating rooms showed TBC ≥15 CFU/24 cm 2 after the SOP, while all samples were compliant applying the SOP plus PX-UVC disinfection. Clostridium difficile (CD) spores and Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC) were isolated only after the SOP. The implementation of the standard cleaning and disinfection procedure with the integration of the PX-UVC treatment had effective results in both the reduction of hygiene failures and in control environmental contamination by high-concern microorganisms.

Keywords: healthcare-associated infections; hospital environmental cleaning and disinfection; ultraviolet C light-emitting device; high-touch surfaces (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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