Ultraviolet ultra effective
April 1st 2009

According to Infection Management, applying technology to infection control is the solution to cleaning high risk areas. Its ultraviolet germicidal irradiation tool HD-01 treats all exposed surfaces

Any infection control manager knows how hard it is to clean ICUs, operating theatres and other high-risk areas effectively, especially high-touch surfaces like equipment control panels, keyboards and bed rails.

Conventional cleaning is time-consuming to do properly, and inevitably leaves pathogens behind. Recent US studies have shown that rooms considered patient-ready (i.e. cleaned according to protocol) are not clinically clean; large studies from multiple hospitals show that less than half of the surfaces that should be disinfected daily are actually cleaned.

This highlights the need for automated disinfection of healthcare areas, rather than relying on manual methods.More effective cleaning methods use toxic gases, require the pre-sealing of rooms and post-cleaning quarantine/drying times, and have the potential to damage electronics.

By contrast, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is quicker and just as effective.Using Infection Management's HD-01 (designed specifically for the irradiation of empty rooms), no guesswork, no measurements, no room sealing and no cleanup are required.All exposed surfaces of the room are treated, however inaccessible or fiddly to clean. Nothing is accidentally overlooked or recontaminated, and the room is ready for immediate occupation, without lingering chemical fumes or drying time.

Path of least resistance UVGI does not cause development of bacterial resistance, and deactivates airborne pathogens, a significant source of surface recontamination.

HD-01 is used in an evacuated room and activated from outside by a wireless remote that also displays progress information. It dispenses an automatically calculated dose of germicidal UV, and powers down when disinfection is complete. Patented technology assures the appropriate dosing of reflected energy, even to surfaces not in direct line of sight to the unit.Door sensors deactivate the unit if anyone attempts to enter prematurely. 3 to 6 log air and surface decontamination is generally achieved in 20-30 minutes – often less.

Infection Control Practitioner Judy Corona, at Mercy Hospital (Sacramento, USA), is researching disinfection protocols in association with the local Department of Health."It would be wonderful if infection could be eliminated altogether. HD-01 is an important tool to get closer to that goal." For the trial, a vacated MRSA patient room was quarantined for testing; no pre-cleaning was performed.DoH officers collected samples from bed rails, hampers, tables, toilets, and other high-touch areas, and fourteen samples tested positive.The UVGI device was rolled into the unoccupied room and the disinfection process initiated. Seventeen minutes later, only one colony forming unit was found on the base of an IV pole – five or less is considered 'operating room clean'.

As a result,Mercy Hospital quickly added HD-01 to its infection control arsenal."We're excited about the level of disinfection HD-01 provides," states Corona."We are implementing an HD-01 disinfection protocol and plan to closely monitor the results. Our sister facilities will be looking at our results and may join us in purchasing units." UVGI is effective against bacteria, viruses, mould spores and other micro-organisms.Germicidal UV (UV-C) is a component of sunlight, and has a specific wavelength that disrupts the DNA of organisms, rendering them harmless and unable to reproduce.

Germicidal lamps (as used in HD-01) provide powerful and concentrated sources of UV-C, and have a glass envelope to filter out harmful ozone-forming radiation (UV-V).

Call the number below to arrange a demonstration of the HD-01.

Infection Management believes 'before and after' swab tests will convince clients of the effectiveness and speed of this solution compared to conventional cleaning.