N95 respirator reuse, decontamination methods, and microbial burden: A randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Infection Control
• Microbiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Healthcare settings face challenges with N95 respirator reuse.
• Microbial contamination on N95 respirators is a concern during reuse.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate N95 respirator decontamination methods (time, dry heat, UVC) in clinics.
• Assess microbial colonization on reused N95 respirators.
• Determine the effectiveness and ease of decontamination processes.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study of 15 N95 respirators randomized to time, heat, or UVC decontamination.
• Respirators were reused up to 5 times.
• Swabs collected for SARS-CoV-2, bacteria, and fungi before/after clinic and post-treatment.
• Mask integrity assessed after treatments.

Main Results:

• All methods reduced bacterial load; UVC and time showed no damage.
• Heat treatment degraded elastic straps, compromising respirator function.
• Bacterial load was higher on the inside vs. outside surfaces.
• Fungal and SARS-CoV-2 contamination were minimal.

Conclusions:

• Time, heat, and UVC effectively reduce bacterial load on N95 respirators.
• Heat decontamination can damage respirator straps.
• Ultraviolet C (UVC) light is recommended for N95 respirator decontamination due to efficacy, safety, and ease.