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.
Department of Medicine, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, Temple, TX; Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX.
Chetan
C
Jinadatha
Xenex Disinfection Services LLC, San Antonio, TX. Electronic address: sarah.simmons@xenex.com.
Sarah
S
Simmons
Xenex Disinfection Services LLC, San Antonio, TX.
Charles
C
Dale
Department of Medicine, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, Temple, TX.
Nagaraja
N
Ganachari-Mallappa
Department of Medicine, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, Temple, TX.
Frank Charles
FC
Villamaria
Antimicrobial Test Laboratories, Round Rock, TX.
Nicole
N
Goulding
Antimicrobial Test Laboratories, Round Rock, TX.
Benjamin
B
Tanner
Xenex Disinfection Services LLC, San Antonio, TX.
Julie
J
Stachowiak
Xenex Disinfection Services LLC, San Antonio, TX.
Mark
M
Stibich
D000256:Adenoviridae; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D029043:Ebolavirus; D006282:Health Personnel; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D029322:Norovirus; D000067393:Personal Protective Equipment / Q000821:virology*; D017955:Poliovirus; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012401:Rotavirus; D013242:Sterilization; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014481:United States; D014484:United States Environmental Protection Agency; D014978:Xenon / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014978:Xenon
Doffing process; Ebola; Environmental disinfection; Outbreak control; Personal protective equipment; Ultraviolet