Decontamination of rooms, medical equipment and ambulances using an aerosol of hydrogen peroxide disinfectant

Abstract

A programmable device (Sterinis, Gloster Sante Europe) providing a dry fume of 5% hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) disinfectant was tested for decontamination of rooms, ambulances and different types of medical equipment. Pre-set concentrations were used according to the volumes of the rooms and garages. Three cycles were performed with increasing contact times. Repetitive experiments were performed using Bacillus atrophaeus (formerly Bacillus subtilis) Raven 1162282 spores to control the effect of decontamination; after a sampling plan, spore strips were placed in various positions in rooms, ambulances, and inside and outside the items of medical equipment. Decontamination was effective in 87% of 146 spore tests in closed test rooms and in 100% of 48 tests in a surgical department when using three cycles. One or two cycles had no effect. The sporicidal effect on internal parts of the medical equipment was only 62.3% (220 tests). When the devices were run and ventilated during decontamination, 100% (57/57) of spore strips placed inside were decontaminated. In the ambulances, the penetration of H(2)O(2) into equipment, devices, glove boxes, under mattresses, and the drivers' cabins was 100% (60/60 tests) when using three cycles, but was less effective when using one or two cycles. In conclusion, an H(2)O(2) dry fumigation system, run in three cycles, seemed to have a good sporicidal effect when used in rooms, ambulances, and external and internal parts of ventilated equipment. Further studies need to be performed concerning concentration, contact time and the number of cycles of H(2)O(2). This is especially important for inner parts of medical equipment that cannot be ventilated during the decontamination process.

Inactivation ofFrancisella tularensisSchu S4 in a Biological Safety Cabinet Using Hydrogen Peroxide Fumigation

“…Moreover, hydrogen peroxide fumigation does not appear to damage materials or sensitive equipment (French et al, 2004;Rogers et al, 2005). Therefore, hydrogen peroxide fumigation has been used for decontaminating laboratories and laboratory equipment (Klapes & Vesley, 1990;Kahnert et al, 2005;Hall et al, 2007), medically-implanted wires (Fichet et al, 2004) and medical equipment (Andersen et al, 2006), hospital rooms (French et al, 2004), biological safety cabinets (Hillman, 2004), and animal holding rooms (Krause et al, 2001). The present study demonstrates that F. tularensis Schu S4 is inactivated on various material surfaces when exposed to VHP fumigation in a BSC III.…”

The infection prevention and control practices of the ambulance service

“…Some researchers have pointed out that microorganisms on the patient's cabin and medical equipment surfaces could become a serious source of infection transmission (Andersen et al 2006;Kanz 1981;Nigam and Cutter 2003a). One study indicated that 13 out of 105 swab samples (12.4%) which were taken from different area of the ambulances were positive for MRSA (Kanz 1981).…”

“…), intervention in traumatic injuries, having to carry out a medical intervention in a confined space or a dark environment, and limited time for decontamination of the contaminated medical equipment and patient's cabin (Becker et al 2003;Boal, Hales, and Ross 2005; Gershon et al 1985;Hochreiter and Barton 1988;Merchant et al 2009;Pepe et al 1986;Reed et al 1993;Valenzuela et al 1985). Some researchers have pointed out that microorganisms in the patient's cabin and on the surfaces of the medical equipment could become a serious source of infection transmission (Andersen et al 2006;Kanz 1981;Nigam and Cutter 2003a). In additionally, the presence of multiple drug resistant (MDR) pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp., Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas spp., Klebsiella spp.…”

Decontamination of Bioaerosols within Engineering Tolerances of Aircraft Materials

“…It can be used in two methods: vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) when the compound remains in the vapor phase, and hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) when a very small amount of condensation is induced deliberately (Gale et al, 2009) after 120 minutes (Andersen et al, 2006). A VHP system was tested on a non-flying C-141 cargo aircraft, showing an inactivation rate of 99.9% after 120 hours (McVey, 2005).…”

“…During the 2001 anthrax attacks, chlorine dioxide, vaporized hydrogen peroxide, paraformaldehyde, methyl bromide, and ethylene oxide were approved for use (Kempter, 2005). Hydrogen peroxide in the vapor phase was used with a high degree of success during the 2001 attacks (McVey, 2005) and tests in both the laboratory (Andersen et al, 2006;Oh et al, 2005) and field studies on grounded aircraft (Gale et al, 2008) have shown its efficacy. This method cannot be used on airworthy aircraft because it has detrimental material impacts (Gale et al, 2009;Verce et al, 2008).…”