Hospital environments are sources of a diverse spectrum of pathogens, including multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) such as Candida auris (C. auris.), which introduce severe challenges to managing infection and consequently result in high rates of illness and death. To combat these difficulties, scientific innovators Dr. Deborah Birx and Amy Carenza from ActivePure Technologies have initiated a study demonstrating the efficacy of advanced photohydrolysis (AP) technology in reducing microbial presence within hospital spaces plagued by C. auris infections.
Their research unveiled some promising findings; AP technology was shown to significantly eliminate bio-contaminant presence in high-risk hospital sections without the need for additional labor or resources. Notably, this fantastic discovery stems from rigorous research, carrying the potential to revolutionize the way hospitals are kept sanitized.
Although AP technology showed great reduction rates, the variance in C. auris reduction is still under investigation. Factors such as the status of patients (whether they were already shedding and infected) and conditions of rooms (whether colonization had already occurred) could explain the variability in reduction rates.
Dr. Birx further accentuated the preventive abilities of AP technology, arguing that it can halt the complications arising from hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), bacterial resistance, candida auris, etc., thereby saving costs and resources spent on managing them.
Undertaken from September 2023 to January 2024, the study inspected the effect of AP technology on floor CFUs of aerobic bacteria, fungi, and C. auris in a critical care hospital unit, where samples were obtained before shift changes and routine cleaning. Carenza optimistically believed that this technology could improve patient results in high-acuity healthcare environments as it provides continuous protection and offers an opportunity for further research and data collection.
Despite the technology’s promising findings, C. auris showed slight rises after post-activation, primarily connected to the presence of active infections in some rooms. However, these counts remained under 500 CFU/cm², a threshold linked with a lower risk of infection.
During the introduction of the technology amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, skepticism was a notable challenge as it endured comparison with other unproven technologies. However, this scrutiny only bolstered the inspection and validation processes for the technology and has resulted in a solid collection of data that supports the efficacy of AP technology.
Overall, AP technology insights demonstrate its potential usage as an adjunct to existing infection control protocols, thereby aiding in tackling environmental reservoirs of MDROs in hospitals.