First UK evaluation of an automated ultraviolet-C room decontamination device (Tru-D™)

J Hosp Infect. 2013 Aug;84(4):332-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2013.05.005. Epub 2013 Jul 8.

Abstract

Tru-D™ is an automated room disinfection device that uses ultraviolet-C radiation to kill micro-organisms. The device was deployed in six side-rooms and an operating theatre. In a cleaned, unoccupied operating theatre, Tru-D eradicated all organisms from the environment. Using artificially seeded Petri dishes with meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, multi-resistant acinetobacter and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, the mean log10 reductions were between three and four when used at 22,000μWs/cm(2) reflected dose. The device was easy to transport and utilize, and able to disinfect rooms rapidly. This appears to be a practical alternative technology to other 'no-touch' automated room disinfection systems.

Keywords: Decontamination; TRU-D; Ultraviolet-C (UV-C).

MeSH terms

  • Acinetobacter / physiology
  • Acinetobacter / radiation effects*
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Disinfection / instrumentation*
  • Enterococcus / physiology
  • Enterococcus / radiation effects*
  • Environmental Microbiology*
  • Equipment and Supplies
  • Humans
  • Microbial Viability / radiation effects*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / physiology
  • Staphylococcus aureus / radiation effects*
  • Ultraviolet Rays*
  • United Kingdom