Background: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), particularly surgical site infections, are a major clinical concern, especially in burns units where patients are highly susceptible to microbial colonisation. Multidrug-resistant organisms (MROs) can persist in hospital environments and contribute to wound infection, graft failure, and systemic complications. Early ultraviolet-C (UVC) disinfection studies have shown that UVC disinfection can reduce bioburden in the hospital setting (Napolitano 2015, Nerandzic 2010, Boyce 2011). Evidence is lacking on direct impact on HAI rates alone and as an adjunct to standard cleaning protocols (Sun 2023). Further, only one study to date has investigated the role of UVC disinfection in patients with burns (Maugeri 2025).
Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of UVC disinfection technology as an adjunct to standard hospital cleaning protocols, and to assess its feasibility as an alternative to terminal isolation cleaning processes.
Methods:
A prospective pre-post implementation cohort study was conducted in a 29-bed surgical ward at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, incorporating the Victorian Adult Burns Service. Forty patient rooms previously occupied by individuals with wound infections underwent UVC disinfection. Environmental swabs were collected before and after UVC exposure from high-touch surfaces. Primary outcomes included total microbial count reduction and microorganism identification.
Results:
Post-UVC disinfection, significantly more swabs yielded non-detectable levels of microorganisms (<10 CFU, p=0.02), and mean microbial counts decreased when compared to pre-UVC disinfection. The frequency and variety of identified microorganisms also declined post-UVC. Notably, Staphylococcus epidermidis remained the most common organism but was reduced in prevalence.
Conclusion:
UVC disinfection may reduce the number and variety of microorganisms in patient environments in the hospital setting, particularly in burns units, where patients are often colonised with various microorganisms. Our findings so far demonstrate the potential for UVC disinfection in reducing hospital environmental bioburden on in burns units.