Effect of ultraviolet-C light on the environmental bacterial bioburden in various veterinary facilities

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of a mobile UV-C disinfection device on the environmental bacterial bioburden in veterinary facilities. SAMPLES 40 swab samples of surfaces from the operating theaters of 3 veterinary hospitals and 1 necropsy laboratory. PROCEDURES Various surfaces were swabbed, and collected material was eluted from the swabs in PBSS. Then, an aliquot of the sample fluid was processed with a bacteria-specific rapid metabolic assay to quantify bacterial bioburden. Each site was then treated with UV-C light with an automated disinfection device for approximately 45 minutes. The same surfaces were swabbed following UV-C treatment, and bioburden was quantified. The bioburden at additional time points, including after a second UV-C treatment, was determined for the small animal operating theater. RESULTS All surfaces at all sites had a persistent viable bacterial population following manual cleaning. Disinfection with UV-C achieved a mean bioburden reduction of 94% (SD, 5.2%; range, 91% to 95%) for all surfaces, compared with manual disinfection alone. Repeated UV-C treatment of the small animal operating theater reduced mean bioburden by 99% (SD, 0.8%), including no detectable bacteria on 4 of 10 surfaces. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Disinfection with UV-C light may be a beneficial adjunct method for terminal disinfection of veterinary operating theaters to reduce environmental bioburden.