Nagaraja Ganachari-Mallappa

Can pulsed xenon ultraviolet light systems disinfect aerobic bacteria in the absence of manual disinfection

Whereas pulsed xenon-based ultraviolet light no-touch disinfection systems are being increasingly used for room disinfection after patient discharge with manual cleaning, their effectiveness in the absence of manual disinfection has not been previously evaluated. Our study indicates that pulsed xenon-based ultraviolet light systems effectively reduce aerobic bacteria in the absence of manual disinfection. These data are important for hospitals planning to adopt this technology as adjunct to routine manual disinfection.

Is the pulsed xenon ultraviolet light no-touch disinfection system effective on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the absence of manual cleaning?

BACKGROUND Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been shown to survive on ambient surfaces for extended periods of time. Leftover MRSA environmental contamination in a hospital room places future patients at risk. Manual disinfection supplemented by pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) light disinfection has been shown to greatly decrease the MRSA bioburden in hospital rooms. However, the effect of PX-UV in the absence of manual disinfection has not been evaluated. METHODS Rooms that were previously occupied by a MRSA-positive patient (current colonization or infection) were selected for the study immediately postdischarge. Five high-touch surfaces were sampled, before and after PX-UV disinfection, in each hospital room. The effectiveness of the PX-UV device on the concentration of MRSA was assessed employing a Wilcoxon signed-rank test for all 70 samples with MRSA in 14 rooms, as well as by surface location. RESULTS The final analysis included 14 rooms. Before PX-UV disinfection there were a total of 393 MRSA colonies isolated from the 5 high-touch surfaces. There were 100 MRSA colonies after disinfection by the PX-UV device and the overall reduction was statistically significant (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS Our study results suggest that PX-UV light effectively reduces MRSA colony counts in the absence of manual disinfection. These findings are important for hospital and environmental services supervisors who plan to adapt new technologies as an adjunct to routine manual disinfection.

Disinfecting personal protective equipment with pulsed xenon ultraviolet as a risk mitigation strategy for health care workers

The doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE) after contamination with pathogens such as Ebola poses a risk to health care workers. Pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) disinfection has been used to disinfect surfaces in hospital settings. This study examined the impact of PX-UV disinfection on an Ebola surrogate virus on glass carriers and PPE material to examine the potential benefits of using PX-UV to decontaminate PPE while worn, thereby reducing the pathogen load prior to doffing. Ultraviolet (UV) safety and coverage tests were also conducted. PX-UV exposure resulted in a significant reduction in viral load on glass carriers and PPE materials. Occupational Safety and Health Administration-defined UV exposure limits were not exceeded during PPE disinfection. Predoffing disinfection with PX-UV has potential as an additive measure to the doffing practice guidelines. The PX-UV disinfection should not be considered sterilization; all PPE should still be considered contaminated and doffed and disposed of according to established protocols.

Comparison of Environmental MRSA Levels on High-Touch Surfaces in Contact Isolation and Noncontact Isolation Patient Rooms.

Environmental samples were collected from 100 hospital rooms, 32 noncontact rooms, and 68 contact isolation rooms. We isolated 202 and 1,830 MRSA colonies in noncontact and contact isolation rooms, respectively. The study identified MRSA isolates in hospital rooms of patients without colonization or infection with MRSA. Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2015;36(12):1472-1475.

318Is the Pulsed Xenon Ultraviolet Light No-Touch Disinfection System Effective on MRSA in the Absence of Manual Cleaning?

318. Is the Pulsed Xenon Ultraviolet Light No-Touch Disinfection System Effective on MRSA in the Absence of Manual Cleaning? Chetan Jinadatha, MD, MPH; Donna Brown, RN; Kimberly Sikes; Nagaraja Ganachari-Mallappa, PhD; Infectious Disease Division, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX; Department of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Bryan, TX

303Comparison of Environmental MRSA Levels on High Touch Surfaces in Contact Isolation and Non-Contact Isolation Patient Rooms: A Veterans Hospital Study

303. Comparison of EnvironmentalMRSA Levels onHigh Touch Surfaces in Contact Isolation and Non-Contact Isolation Patient Rooms: AVeterans Hospital Study Chetan Jinadatha, MD, MPH; Donna Brown, RN; Kimberly Sikes; Nagaraja Ganachari-Mallappa, PhD; Infectious Disease Division, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX; Department of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Bryan, TX