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Decontamination of patient bathroom surfaces with 405 nm violet-blue light irradiation in a real-life setting

Senneby, E. LU ; Holmberg, A. ; Thörnqvist, A. and Fraenkel, C. J. LU orcid (2024) In Journal of Hospital Infection 152. p.93-98
Abstract

Background: Irradiation with violet-blue light (VBL), in the spectrum of 405–450 nm, has been reported to be effective against pathogenic bacteria. Aim: To investigate whether VBL irradiation could reduce the level of surface contamination at seven shared patient bathrooms in two wards at a hospital in Sweden. Methods: Repeated sampling of five separate surfaces (door handle, tap water handle, floor, toilet seat, and toilet armrest) was performed in the bathrooms where 405 nm light-emitting diode spotlights had been installed. A prospective study with a cross-over design was carried out, which included two study periods, first with the spotlights either switched on or off and a second study period with the opposite spotlight status.... (More)

Background: Irradiation with violet-blue light (VBL), in the spectrum of 405–450 nm, has been reported to be effective against pathogenic bacteria. Aim: To investigate whether VBL irradiation could reduce the level of surface contamination at seven shared patient bathrooms in two wards at a hospital in Sweden. Methods: Repeated sampling of five separate surfaces (door handle, tap water handle, floor, toilet seat, and toilet armrest) was performed in the bathrooms where 405 nm light-emitting diode spotlights had been installed. A prospective study with a cross-over design was carried out, which included two study periods, first with the spotlights either switched on or off and a second study period with the opposite spotlight status. Findings: In total, 665 surface samples were collected during the study (133 samples per surface). Bacterial growth was found in 84% of all samples. The most common findings were coagulase-negative staphylococci and Bacillus spp. The median number of colony-forming units (cfu)/cm2 was 15 (interquartile range: 5–40) for all surfaces. In our main outcome, mean cfu/cm2 of all surfaces in a bathroom, no difference was observed with or without VBL. Clean surfaces (<5 cfu/cm2) were more commonly observed in bathrooms with VBL, also when controlling for confounding factors. No difference was observed in the number of heavily contaminated surfaces. Conclusion: This study did not safely demonstrate an additive effect on bacterial surface levels when adding VBL to routine cleaning in shared patient bathrooms.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Decontamination, Hospital surfaces, Violet-blue light
in
Journal of Hospital Infection
volume
152
pages
6 pages
publisher
W.B. Saunders
external identifiers
  • pmid:39098393
  • scopus:85202208853
ISSN
0195-6701
DOI
10.1016/j.jhin.2024.06.022
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
73547312-a408-46c4-b7c9-7ca7346e3944
date added to LUP
2024-10-30 14:16:49
date last changed
2025-07-25 03:25:52
@article{73547312-a408-46c4-b7c9-7ca7346e3944,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Irradiation with violet-blue light (VBL), in the spectrum of 405–450 nm, has been reported to be effective against pathogenic bacteria. Aim: To investigate whether VBL irradiation could reduce the level of surface contamination at seven shared patient bathrooms in two wards at a hospital in Sweden. Methods: Repeated sampling of five separate surfaces (door handle, tap water handle, floor, toilet seat, and toilet armrest) was performed in the bathrooms where 405 nm light-emitting diode spotlights had been installed. A prospective study with a cross-over design was carried out, which included two study periods, first with the spotlights either switched on or off and a second study period with the opposite spotlight status. Findings: In total, 665 surface samples were collected during the study (133 samples per surface). Bacterial growth was found in 84% of all samples. The most common findings were coagulase-negative staphylococci and Bacillus spp. The median number of colony-forming units (cfu)/cm<sup>2</sup> was 15 (interquartile range: 5–40) for all surfaces. In our main outcome, mean cfu/cm<sup>2</sup> of all surfaces in a bathroom, no difference was observed with or without VBL. Clean surfaces (&lt;5 cfu/cm<sup>2</sup>) were more commonly observed in bathrooms with VBL, also when controlling for confounding factors. No difference was observed in the number of heavily contaminated surfaces. Conclusion: This study did not safely demonstrate an additive effect on bacterial surface levels when adding VBL to routine cleaning in shared patient bathrooms.</p>}},
  author       = {{Senneby, E. and Holmberg, A. and Thörnqvist, A. and Fraenkel, C. J.}},
  issn         = {{0195-6701}},
  keywords     = {{Decontamination; Hospital surfaces; Violet-blue light}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{93--98}},
  publisher    = {{W.B. Saunders}},
  series       = {{Journal of Hospital Infection}},
  title        = {{Decontamination of patient bathroom surfaces with 405 nm violet-blue light irradiation in a real-life setting}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2024.06.022}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jhin.2024.06.022}},
  volume       = {{152}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}