UV Light Paired With Cleaning Found to Decease Disease Transmission

A large order of pathogens known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) commonly cause infections in health care settings and are resistant to antibiotics designed to kill them. Examples of germs in the CRE order include E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

A recent study, published in The Journal of Hospital Infection, found that pairing ultraviolet (UV) decontamination technology with manual cleaning decreases the transmission of CRE in hospitals, Infection Control Today reports.

Investigators at a 210-bed hospital in South Africa conducted a 26-month study in which they looked at the effects of various cleaning and disinfection protocols on the transmission of the health care-acquired infection (HAI). Researchers tested the effects of broad UV room decontamination in five high-risk patient units including transplant, oncology, critical care, and gastrointestinal surgery rooms.

Study results revealed a 23% reduction in CRE transmission when hospital cleaning staff used a UV room decontamination device along with manual cleaning using bleach and quaternary ammonium disinfectants (quats).

“If we use UV in combination with traditional manual cleaning—it must be used in combination—we can actually reduce health care [infection] acquisition,” said Dr. Warren Lowman, lead author of the study.

Previous studies have proved the effectiveness of UV disinfection and manual cleaning against other prevalent HAIs, including C. difficile, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).