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Decontamination of targeted pathogens from patient rooms using an automated ultraviolet-C-emitting device.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Anderson, DJ; Gergen, MF; Smathers, E; Sexton, DJ; Chen, LF; Weber, DJ; Rutala, WA
Published in: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol
May 2013

OBJECTIVE. To determine the effectiveness of an automated ultraviolet-C (UV-C) emitter against vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), Clostridium difficile, and Acinetobacter spp. in patient rooms. DESIGN. Prospective cohort study. SETTING. Two tertiary care hospitals. PARTICIPANTS. Convenience sample of 39 patient rooms from which a patient infected or colonized with 1 of the 3 targeted pathogens had been discharged. INTERVENTION. Environmental sites were cultured before and after use of an automated UV-C-emitting device in targeted rooms but before standard terminal room disinfection by environmental services. RESULTS. In total, 142 samples were obtained from 27 rooms of patients who were colonized or infected with VRE, 77 samples were obtained from 10 rooms of patients with C. difficile infection, and 10 samples were obtained from 2 rooms of patients with infections due to Acinetobacter. Use of an automated UV-C-emitting device led to a significant decrease in the total number of colony-forming units (CFUs) of any type of organism (1.07 log10 reduction; P < .0001), CFUs of target pathogens (1.35 log10 reduction; P < .0001), VRE CFUs (1.68 log10 reduction; P < .0001), and C. difficile CFUs (1.16 log10 reduction; P < .0001). CFUs of Acinetobacter also decreased (1.71 log10 reduction), but the trend was not statistically significant (P = .25). CFUs were reduced at all 9 of the environmental sites tested. Reductions similarly occurred in direct and indirect line of sight. CONCLUSIONS. Our data confirm that automated UV-C-emitting devices can decrease the bioburden of important pathogens in real-world settings such as hospital rooms.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol

DOI

EISSN

1559-6834

Publication Date

May 2013

Volume

34

Issue

5

Start / End Page

466 / 471

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vancomycin Resistance
  • Ultraviolet Rays
  • Tertiary Care Centers
  • Prospective Studies
  • Patients' Rooms
  • Humans
  • Fomites
  • Epidemiology
  • Enterococcus
  • Decontamination
 

Citation

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ICMJE
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Anderson, D. J., Gergen, M. F., Smathers, E., Sexton, D. J., Chen, L. F., Weber, D. J., & Rutala, W. A. (2013). Decontamination of targeted pathogens from patient rooms using an automated ultraviolet-C-emitting device. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, 34(5), 466–471. https://doi.org/10.1086/670215
Anderson, Deverick J., Maria F. Gergen, Emily Smathers, Daniel J. Sexton, Luke F. Chen, David J. Weber, and William A. Rutala. “Decontamination of targeted pathogens from patient rooms using an automated ultraviolet-C-emitting device.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 34, no. 5 (May 2013): 466–71. https://doi.org/10.1086/670215.
Anderson DJ, Gergen MF, Smathers E, Sexton DJ, Chen LF, Weber DJ, et al. Decontamination of targeted pathogens from patient rooms using an automated ultraviolet-C-emitting device. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2013 May;34(5):466–71.
Anderson, Deverick J., et al. “Decontamination of targeted pathogens from patient rooms using an automated ultraviolet-C-emitting device.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, vol. 34, no. 5, May 2013, pp. 466–71. Pubmed, doi:10.1086/670215.
Anderson DJ, Gergen MF, Smathers E, Sexton DJ, Chen LF, Weber DJ, Rutala WA. Decontamination of targeted pathogens from patient rooms using an automated ultraviolet-C-emitting device. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2013 May;34(5):466–471.
Journal cover image

Published In

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol

DOI

EISSN

1559-6834

Publication Date

May 2013

Volume

34

Issue

5

Start / End Page

466 / 471

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vancomycin Resistance
  • Ultraviolet Rays
  • Tertiary Care Centers
  • Prospective Studies
  • Patients' Rooms
  • Humans
  • Fomites
  • Epidemiology
  • Enterococcus
  • Decontamination