The Efficacy of Targeted Ultraviolet-C in Reducing Environmental Aerobic Colony Counts with and without Disinfection

BACKGROUND: Various studies have shown the increased risk of acquiring a multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) from a room previously occupied by a confirmed MDRO patient. The effectiveness of environment services (EVS) personnel is inconsistent and less than half of disinfected surfaces pass common environmental detection methods. Whole room Ultraviolet-C (UVC) disinfection has been widely studied throughout the literature; however, the aspect of positioning and directing UVC to specific areas has not. This study examines the efficacy of a targeted UVC device to decontaminate surfaces with and without EVS intervention. METHODS: Fifty-five random high touch point surfaces across a tertiary care hospital were assessed for aerobic colony counts (ACC) after discharge. Twenty-six of the surfaces were disinfected by EVS according to hospital protocol and retested. All surfaces were then treated using a targeted UVC device for 5 minutes with articulating and positionable arms at a distance of 18–24 inches and retested. RESULTS: The average ACC on all tested surfaces after discharge was 8.82 CFU/cm(2). Surfaces disinfected by EVS showed a 55% reduction in ACC to 3.92 CFU/cm(2) while surfaces treated with targeted UVC resulted in a 95% reduction to 0.46 CFU/cm(2). However, there was a 98% reduction in ACC from 9.89 CFU/cm(2) after discharge to 0.24 CFU/cm(2) with EVS disinfection followed by targeted UVC treatment. Lastly, there was a 92% reduction in ACC from 7.68 CFU/cm(2) after discharge to 0.65 CFU/cm(2) with only targeted UVC treatment. All outcomes were significantly different (P < 0.01) when compared with after discharge and after EVS disinfection. CONCLUSION: The use of a targeted UVC device significantly reduced ACC on high touch point surfaces with and without EVS disinfection. The supplemental role of targeted UVC increases the decontamination effectiveness of EVS after discharge while potentially reducing the risk of infection for the next patient and decreasing the likelihood of transmitting an infectious agent acquired on a health care-worker’s hands. DISCLOSURES: C. Truitt, GermBlast: Investigator, Research support