Microbiological evaluation of ultraviolet C light-emitting diodes for disinfection of medical instruments
Hannah Siwe,
Annelies Aerssens,
Mieke V. Flour,
Silke Ternest,
Leen Van Simaey,
Duncan Verstraeten,
Alain F. Kalmar,
Isabel Leroux-Roels,
Philip Meuleman,
Piet Cools
Affiliations
Hannah Siwe
Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 38, Medical Research Building 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; Research and Development, eLEDricity, Hundelgemsesteenweg 446A, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
Annelies Aerssens
Department of Infection Control, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 12, Clinical Building 12E, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
Mieke V. Flour
Research and Development, eLEDricity, Hundelgemsesteenweg 446A, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
Silke Ternest
Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 38, Medical Research Building 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Infection Control, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 12, Clinical Building 12E, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
Leen Van Simaey
Laboratory Bacteriology Research, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 38, Medical Research Building 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
Duncan Verstraeten
Research and Development, eLEDricity, Hundelgemsesteenweg 446A, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
Alain F. Kalmar
Department of Electronics and Information Systems, IBiTech, Ghent University, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 126, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
Isabel Leroux-Roels
Department of Infection Control, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 12, Clinical Building 12E, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 38, Medical Research Building 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; Corresponding author.
Philip Meuleman
Laboratory of Liver Infectious Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 38, Medical Research Building 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; Corresponding author.
Piet Cools
Laboratory Bacteriology Research, Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, entrance 38, Medical Research Building 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; Corresponding author.
Background: Despite the many guidelines for reprocessing of medical instruments, challenges persist such as microbial resistance to biocides, corrosive effects on materials, and time-consuming reprocessing procedures. Ultraviolet (UV) C light-emitting diode (LED) chambers might provide a solution but the integration in healthcare is still in its infancy. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a novel ZAPARAY™ UVC LED chamber as a time and energy-efficient alternative for reprocessing of medical instruments for which current disinfection protocols exhibit limitations. Methods: We verified the disinfection efficacy of the UVC LED chamber on a Petri dish and contaminated several medical devices with Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. The bacterial reduction was assessed after 5 min of UVC LED exposure. Additionally, we investigated the impact of rinsing before UVC exposure. Results: We demonstrated a bacterial reduction of 9 log10 on a Petri dish. Non-rinsed dental tools exhibited varied reduction levels ranging from a 3.23 log10 to a 6.25 log10 reduction. Rinsing alone yielded an average reduction of 2.7 log10 and additional UVC exposure further reduced the bacterial load by an average of 3.65 log10. We showed an average 4.90 log10 reduction on thermistors, 2 log10 or less on orthodontic pliers, and no reduction on handpieces. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that UVC LED chambers may be used as a standardized substitute for specific (manual) disinfection procedures of certain medical devices, offering a time-efficient and more sustainable alternative. However, its use should be preceded by efficacy testing for each specific type of instrument.
