Filtration performance of three models of N95 filtering facepiece respirators following clinical usage and vaporized hydrogen peroxide decontamination.

<bold>Background: </bold>N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) are essential personal protective equipment (PPE) for protecting healthcare workers from airborne pathogens.<bold>Aim: </bold>To perform the first large-scale evaluation of particulate filtration efficiency (PFE) of three models of N95 FFRs following clinical usage and vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) decontamination.<bold>Methods: </bold>Three variables were assessed for effect on PFE following VHP decontamination: VHP sterilizer model, N95 respirator model, and prior N95 clinical usage.<bold>Findings: </bold>The VHP sterilizer model and N95 FFR model impacted PFE performance. Worn N95 FFRs had a 91% lower odds of exhibiting ≥95% PFE compared with the control.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>This work highlights the importance of validating any N95 FFR decontamination programme in its entirety, including prior clinical usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]