title: Reduction in the microbial load on high-touch surfaces in hospital rooms by treatment with a portable saturated steam vapor disinfection system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent scientific literature suggests that portable steam vapor systems are capable of rapid, chemical-free surface disinfection in controlled laboratory studies. This study evaluated the efficacy of a portable steam vapor system in a hospital setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out in 8 occupied rooms of a long-term care wing of a hospital. Six surfaces per room were swabbed before and after steam treatment and analyzed for heterotrophic plate count (HPC), total coliforms, methicillin-intermediate and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MISA and MRSA), and Clostridium difficile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The steam vapor device consistently reduced total microbial and pathogen loads on hospital surfaces, to below detection in most instances. Treatment reduced the presence of total coliforms on surfaces from 83% (40/48) to 13% (6/48). Treatment reduced presumptive MISA (12/48) and MRSA (3/48) to below detection after cleaning, except for 1 posttreatment isolation of MISA (1/48). A single C difficile colony was isolated from a door push panel before treatment, but no C difficile was detected after treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The steam vapor system reduced bacterial levels by >90% and reduced pathogen levels on most surfaces to below the detection limit. The steam vapor system provides a means to reduce levels of microorganisms on hospital surfaces without the drawbacks associated with chemicals, and may decrease the risk of cross-contamination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. Electronic address: sextonj@email.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Sexton
authors.affiliation: Antimicrobial Test Laboratories, Round Rock, TX.
authors.forename: Benjamin D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Tanner
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
authors.forename: Sheri L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Maxwell
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
authors.forename: Charles P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Gerba
mesh_terms: D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000502:physiology*; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010362:Patients' Rooms; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013227:Steam
chemical_list: D013227:Steam