Environmental effectiveness of pulsed-xenon light in the operating room.

Background: Manual cleaning and disinfection of the operating room (OR) environment may be inadequate due to human error. No-touch technologies, such as pulsed-xenon ultraviolet light (PX-UV), can be used as an adjunct to manual cleaning processes to reduce surface contamination in the OR. This article reports the cumulative results from 23 hospitals across the United States that performed microbiologic validation of PX-UV disinfection after manual cleaning.

Interaction of healthcare worker hands and portable medical equipment: a sequence analysis to show potential transmission opportunities.

Background: While research has demonstrated the importance of a clean health care environment, there is a lack of research on the role portable medical equipment (PME) play in the transmission cycle of healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs). This study investigated the patterns and sequence of contact events among health care workers, patients, surfaces, and medical equipment in a hospital environment.

Methods: Research staff observed patient care events over six different 24 h periods on six different hospital units.

Role of Ultraviolet Disinfection in the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections.

The role of the environment in surgical site infections is surprisingly understudied. UV disinfection holds promise for reducing the level of contamination in operating rooms and thereby lowering the risk of infection for patients. Issues such as the frequency, amount and locations for UV disinfection to have an impact on the risk of surgical site infection are recently emerging in the literature.

Impact of pulsed xenon ultraviolet light on hospital-acquired infection rates in a community hospital.

Background: The role of contaminated environments in the spread of hospital-associated infections has been well documented. This study reports the impact of a pulsed xenon ultraviolet no-touch disinfection system on infection rates in a community care facility.

Methods: This study was conducted in a community hospital in Southern Florida.

Utilization and impact of a pulsed-xenon ultraviolet room disinfection system and multidisciplinary care team on Clostridium difficile in a long-term acute care facility.

Health care-associated transmission of Clostridium difficile has been well documented in long-term acute care facilities. This article reports on 2 interventions aimed at reducing the transmission risk: multidisciplinary care teams and no-touch pulsed-xenon disinfection. C difficile transmission rates were tracked over a 39-month period while these 2 interventions were implemented.

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.

The role of the healthcare environment in the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms: update on current best practices for containment.

The role of the environment in harboring and transmitting multidrug-resistant organisms has become clearer due to a series of publications linking environmental contamination with increased risk of hospital-associated infections. The incidence of antimicrobial resistance is also increasing, leading to higher morbidity and mortality associated with hospital-associated infections. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the evidence supporting the existing methods of environmental control of organisms: environmental disinfection, contact precautions, and hand hygiene.