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A far ultraviolet-C light technology is effective for decontamination of items in proximity to sinks and is enhanced by a far UV-C reflective surface

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 September 2024

Claire E. Kaple Open the ORCID record for Claire E. Kaple [Opens in a new window] ,
Samir Memic Open the ORCID record for Samir Memic [Opens in a new window] ,
Jennifer L. Cadnum ,
Martin Mathew Varghese ,
Timothy J. Hebrink Open the ORCID record for Timothy J. Hebrink [Opens in a new window]  and
Curtis J. Donskey Open the ORCID record for Curtis J. Donskey [Opens in a new window]
Claire E. Kaple
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
Samir Memic
Affiliation:
Research Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
Jennifer L. Cadnum
Affiliation:
Research Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
Martin Mathew Varghese
Affiliation:
Research Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
Timothy J. Hebrink
Affiliation:
3M Corporate Research Lab, 3M, St Paul, MN, USA
Curtis J. Donskey*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
*
Corresponding author: Curtis J. Donskey; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background:

Dispersal of gram-negative bacilli from sink drains has been implicated as a source of transmission in multiple outbreaks.

Methods:

In an acute care hospital, we assessed how often patient care supplies and other frequently touched items were within 1 meter of sink drains. We tested the efficacy of a ceiling-mounted far ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light technology for decontamination of sink bowls and surfaces near sinks with and without a wall-mounted film that reflects far UV-C light.

Results:

Of 190 sinks assessed, 55 (29%) had patient care supplies or other frequently touched items within 1 meter of the drain. The far UV-C technology reduced Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloacae and Candida auris on steel disk carriers by ≥1.5 log10 colony-forming units (CFU) in 45 minutes. On inoculated real-world items, ≥1.9 log10 CFU reductions in P. aeruginosa were achieved on sites in line with the light source versus 0.4–1.8 log10 CFU reductions on shaded surfaces. The addition of the reflective surface significantly enhanced efficacy in shaded sites (P < 0.01).

Conclusions:

In a hospital setting, patient care supplies and other frequently touched items were often in proximity to sinks. The far UV-C light technology could potentially be useful for sink decontamination in high-risk areas.

Type
Original Article
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 45 , Issue 11 , November 2024 , pp. 1319 - 1324
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Creative Commons
This is a work of the US Government and is not subject to copyright protection within the United States. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.
Copyright
© Department of Veterans Affairs, 2024

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Footnotes

*

These authors contributed equally.

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