1. Clinical Application of Ultraviolet C Inactivation of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Contaminated Hospital Environments.
- Author
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Su WL, Lin CP, Huang HC, Wu YK, Yang MC, Chiu SK, Peng MY, Chan MC, and Chao YC
- Subjects
- COVID-19 virology, Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation, Hospitals, Humans, SARS-CoV-2 isolation & purification, Time Factors, COVID-19 prevention & control, Infection Control methods, SARS-CoV-2 radiation effects, Ultraviolet Rays
- Abstract
To overcome the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, transmission routes, such as healthcare worker infection, must be effectively prevented. Ultraviolet C (UVC) (254 nm) has recently been demonstrated to prevent environmental contamination by infected patients; however, studies on its application in contaminated hospital settings are limited. Herein, we explored the clinical application of UVC and determined its optimal dose. Environmental samples ( n = 267) collected in 2021 were analyzed by a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and subjected to UVC irradiation for different durations (minutes). We found that washbasins had a high contamination rate (45.5%). SARS-CoV-2 was inactivated after 15 min (estimated dose: 126 mJ/cm
2 ) of UVC irradiation, and the contamination decreased from 41.7% before irradiation to 16.7%, 8.3%, and 0% after 5, 10, and 15 min of irradiation, respectively ( p = 0.005). However, SARS-CoV-2 was still detected in washbasins after irradiation for 20 min but not after 30 min (252 mJ/cm2 ). Thus, 15 min of 254-nm UVC irradiation was effective in cleaning plastic, steel, and wood surfaces in the isolation ward. For silicon items, such as washbasins, 30 min was suggested; however, further studies using hospital environmental samples are needed to confirm the effective UVC inactivation of SARS-CoV-2.- Published
- 2021
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