Virucidal efficacy of a UV-C disinfection system for semi-critical medical devices according to EN 14476

Semi-critical medical devices, such as flexible endoscopes in otorhinolaryngology (ORL), require high-level disinfection due to their contact with mucous membranes. UV-C systems offer a rapid, non-toxic alternative to traditional reprocessing. This study evaluates the virucidal efficacy of the D60 UV-C disinfection system according to EN 14476 standards.

Standardized tests were performed using frosted glass and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) carriers inoculated with four indicator viruses: murine norovirus (MNV), poliovirus type 1, adenovirus type 5, and simian virus 777 (SV40). After drying, carriers underwent a 60 second UV-C cycle in the D60 system. Viral recovery and titration followed EN 14476 protocols, with infectivity measured by TCID₅₀ assay.

All viruses showed significant reductions following UV-C treatment. Residual titers fell below the detection limit (3.2 lg TCID₅₀/mL), corresponding to >4.0 lg reduction across all tested surfaces and virus types. Adenovirus showed the highest reduction (>4.5 lg).

The D60 system achieved broad-spectrum virucidal efficacy within one minute, meeting EN 14476 requirements. These findings support its use for safe, rapid reprocessing of semi-critical devices in high-turnover clinical settings, with potential to improve infection control and workflow efficiency.