Abstract
BackgroundNo-touch environmental disinfection using ultraviolet devices has been highlighted in the past several years to control the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). However, its effectiveness in non-US healthcare settings is yet to be examined. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of disinfection by portable pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) devices in controlling transmission of MDROs in a non-US healthcare setting.MethodsAll patients admitted in the intensive care unit in a 629-bed tertiary referral hospital in Japan from August 2016 to February 2019 were enrolled. During the study period, PX-UV disinfection was added to manual terminal cleaning after every patient transfer/discharge. For microbiological evaluation, surfaces were selected for sampling by contact plates before/after manual cleaning and after PX-UV. After overnight incubation, colonies on the plates were counted.ResultsThe incidence of newly acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) declined significantly (13.8 to 9.9 per 10,000 patient days, incidence rate ratio 0.71, p = 0.002), as well as that of newly acquired drug-resistant Acinetobacter (48.5 to 18.1, 0.37, p < 0.001). The percent reduction of the microbiological burden by manual cleaning was 81%, but a further 59% reduction was achieved by PX-UV.ConclusionsPX-UV is effective in further reducing the microbial burden and controlling MDROs in a non-US healthcare setting.
Highlights
No-touch environmental disinfection using ultraviolet devices has been highlighted in the past several years to control the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs)
In Yamagata University Hospital, there has been sporadic identification of two-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (2DRA), which is resistant to two classes of antimicrobial: carbapenem and quinolone
It was decided that this device would be used in the intensive care unit (ICU), since most of the newly detected 2DRA infections occurred in the ICU patient population
Summary
No-touch environmental disinfection using ultraviolet devices has been highlighted in the past several years to control the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of disinfection by portable pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) devices in controlling transmission of MDROs in a non-US healthcare setting. Infection remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the healthcare setting, despite international initiatives in infection control and prevention. Pathogens such as Clostridioides difficile, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter are especially. In order to halt the transmission of this pathogen, interventions such as enhanced terminal cleaning by hypochlorous acid and strict contact precaution were implemented. This was partially successful; it did not lead to the eradication of transmission. We decided to implement further intervention using pulsed xenon ultraviolet light (PX-UV)
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