Reduction of the microbial background in the intensive care unit of a surgical hospital with the systematic introduction of the Alpha‑06A pulsed ultraviolet system into disinfection measures (experimental study)

Relevance. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant problem in intensive care units. They contribute to increased mortality, lengthen hospital stays and increase treatment-related costs.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of reducing the microbial background and cross-transmission of pathogenic microorganisms associated with the provision of medical care in the intensive care units of surgical hospital with the systemic use of the Alpha‑06A pulsed ultraviolet system with the “Areal” device (Scientific and Production Enterprise «Melitta», Russia).
Materials and methods. The Alfa‑06A air, surface and local areas disinfection system with the “Areal” device was used in the intensive care unit for 2 months – August and September 2024. The “Areal” device directs ultraviolet radiation, generated by the pulsed xenon lamp of the Alfa‑06 installation, into a limited sector. The rest of the room is structurally protected from direct UV radiation. It is allowed to use it in the presence of patients and staff. The use of the installation complemented the standard anti-epidemic measures. At the end of the study period, the results of microbiological studies were retrospectively evaluated and compared with the results of the control period.
Results. A statistically significant (Fisher’s criterion 0.00383, p<0.05) tenfold decrease in the number of positive samples from surfaces during the treatment period in the «Areal» mode was noted. A decrease in bacterial pollution of the environment led to a distinct tendency to reduce cases of contamination of patients with various bacterial flora, and the acquisition by the patients of multidrug-resistant organisms statistically significantly decreased by 100 % (p<0.5). As a result, the use of the Alpha system in the «Areal» mode reduced the cost of expensive antibacterial drugs by 18.9 % in absolute and 7.4 % in relative terms.
Conclusion. The systematic use of Alfa‑06A in conjunction with the “Areal” device in the daily work of the intensive care unit significantly reduces the contamination of surfaces with microorganisms. This is reflected in a decrease in the number of positive samples from various patient loci. The number of cases of persistence of polyresistant problematic bacteria of the ESKAPE group is also decreasing. The improvement of the microbiological background shows a clear economic effect in terms of the cost of expensive antibacterial drugs.

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