Effect of a shielded continuous ultraviolet-C air disinfection device on reduction of air and surface microbial contamination in a pediatric oncology outpatient care unit

Abstract

Background: For a clean hospital environment, we evaluated whether ultraviolet-C (UV-C) air disinfection reduces airborne and surface microbial contamination in an outpatient pediatric oncology center.

Methods: A pre- and post-intervention study compared 6 test locations, where continuous shielded UV-C air disinfection devices were installed, with 10 control locations without UV-C. Pre- and post-intervention air and surface samples were collected for bacterial and fungal cultures. Percent changes in colony forming unit (CFU) counts in the test and control locations were compared.

Results: Mean bacterial CFU count per cubic meter air and per surface contact plates decreased by 27% (P = .219) and 37% (P = .01), respectively, in test locations compared to 40% (P = .054) and 30% (P = .006) reductions in control locations. Mean fungal CFU count per cubic meter air and per surface contact plates increased by 14% (P = .156) and 19% (P = .048), respectively, in test locations compared to 24% (P = .409) and 2% (P = .34) increases in control locations.

Conclusions: There were no consistent statistically significant differences in the air and surface culture results between test locations where UV-C devices were installed and control locations. The effectiveness of UV-C air disinfection in reducing air and surface microbial contamination in outpatient clinical areas where immunocompromised children are encountered was not proven.

Keywords: air disinfection; pediatric oncology; ultraviolet C.