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Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Determining Viral Disinfection Efficacy of Hot Water Laundering
Published on: June 21, 2022
Effectiveness of automated ultraviolet-C light for decontamination of textiles inoculated with Enterococcus faecium
C Smolle1, F Huss2, M Lindblad3
1Research Unit Safety in Health, Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria; Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Abstract:
Healthcare textiles are increasingly recognized as potential vehicles for transmission of hospital-acquired infections. This study tested the ability of an automated ultraviolet-C (UV-C) room disinfection device (Tru-D Smart UV-C) to decontaminate textiles inoculated with Enterococcus faecium in a clinical setting. Contaminated polycotton (50/50 polyester/cotton) swatches were distributed to predefined locations in a ward room and exposed to UV-C light. UV-C decontamination reduced E. faecium counts by a mean log10 reduction factor of 1.37 (all P = 0.005, Wilcoxon signed rank test). UV-C decontamination may be a feasible adjunctive measure to conventional laundering to preserve the cleanliness of healthcare textiles in ward rooms.
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