Germgard dispenser sterilises bare and gloved hands
Kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria in less than three seconds
Germgard Lighting has developed and tested a small UVC dispenser, designed instantly to sterilise bare and gloved hands.
The US-based infection prevention specialist says it achieves -6log10 inactivation in less than three seconds of antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA, Clostridium difficile (C. diff) spores and infectious virus.
In contrast, the Dover, New Jersey-based firm says hand washing and alcohol hand rubs, for bare hands, have limited ability to sanitise and fall short of the nominal sanitation goal of -4log10 (99.99%) inactivation. Alcohol rub also has a limited effect against some viruses, and is totally ineffective on C. diff.
Alcohol rub sanitation requires 30sec and hand washing at least a minute and both approaches can irritate the hands, especially those of healthcare workers who are in constant contact with patients and need to sanitise their hands frequently.
Not surprisingly, with such ineffective solutions, progress in hospital infection rate reduction has been minimal, says Germgard.
This demands new technologies and approaches that go well beyond simply focusing on increased use of current solutions between patient visits.
Dr Eugene Gordon, Germgard's chief executive, says: “Our breakthrough, patent-pending, UVC technology represents an extraordinary, unique, and effective solution to the critical infection prevention need: fast and effective bare or gloved hand sterilisation in surgery, in ICUs, patient rooms and r&d laboratories.”
