In an important breakthrough for infection prevention professionals in hospitals, biotechnology firm LIV Process has announced the creation of a unique microbial-visualization technology. This innovative system allows hospitals to detect contamination from pathogens like Clostridioides difficile on surfaces, facilitating real-time cleaning verification. This becomes particularly pertinent considering that CDC recognizes C. difficile as a leading cause of healthcare-associated infections in the United States, with the national infection rates remaining disturbingly high despite prevention measures. LIV Process’ real-time auditing tool was one of the highlights at IDWeek 2025, and its use has already been approved across 170 VA hospitals nationwide.
The proprietary technology developed by the Philadelphia-based company involves a water-based reagent designed to bind resilient spores, which then fluoresce under a specific light wavelength. This presents an invaluable opportunity for hospitals to audit their cleaning practices immediately, provide instant feedback to their environmental services teams, and pinpoint residual contamination with unprecedented precision.
Validation of this technology is being undertaken collaboratively with several leading healthcare institutions, including University of Virginia Health, University Health San Antonio, University of Texas Southwestern, the Cleveland VA, Duke University Medical Center, and others. While the initial focus is on acute-care hospitals, LIV Process envisions potential applications in home care, long-term care, food safety, and other public settings.
In a Q&A with the LIV Process team, the company shared insights into the technology. It explained how the system uses dynamic biomolecules to specifically bind to components of the C. difficile spore’s surface, leading to fluorescing when bound. This illumination, visible with the accompanying light and goggles, offers an effective system of identifying contamination. The process has been clinically validated and specificity has been confirmed by comparative tests with a range of bacteria.
On being questioned about measurable outcomes, reports quoted from the team at Baptist Health and Little Rock suggested an encouraging 85% reduction of CDI after four months of implementation. The VA rollout sees the company working closely with Environmental Services and Infection Prevention leadership of 12 VA hospitals initially, while continuing to communicate with all the contracted 170 hospitals.
In a world threatened by work-related stress and burnout, LIV Process’ microbial-visualization technology could not only revolutionize infection control but also significantly enhance the support system for frontline healthcare professionals in their vital role.