RESUMEN
Concerns about the safety of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) applications on human beings have been an issue at least since the introduction of this technology for practical use in the 1930s. The resurgence of tuberculosis (TB) in the United States in the mid-1980s led to a revival of interest in UV technology, a focus that had almost disappeared because alternate means of controlling TB had inaccurately been deemed successful. These failures in TB control led to a revival of UVGI use. And with that revival grew necessary and appropriate concerns about attempts to eliminate human overexposure. For all those working in the field of UVGI, safety issues must be a concern because when UVGI fixtures are placed improperly, or precautions ignored, room occupants are placed at risk of photokeratoconjunctivitis and photodermatitis. If safety is so prominent a concern, why do incidents of UV side effects continue to occur? See Murphy's Law.
Asunto(s)
Desinfección/métodos , Tuberculosis/prevención & control , Rayos Ultravioleta/efectos adversos , Dermatitis/etiología , Personas con Mala Vivienda , Vivienda , Humanos , Queratoconjuntivitis/etiología , Tuberculosis/epidemiología , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
We conducted a retrospective study to examine trends in latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and TB disease rates among homeless persons in shelters in New York, NY, 1992-2006. Although TB case rates fell from 1,502/100,000 population to 0, a 31% LTBI rate in 2006 shows the value of identifying and treating TB in the homeless.
Asunto(s)
Personas con Mala Vivienda/estadística & datos numéricos , Pruebas Cutáneas/estadística & datos numéricos , Tuberculosis Pulmonar/epidemiología , Antituberculosos/uso terapéutico , Humanos , Ciudad de Nueva York/epidemiología , Densidad de Población , Vivienda Popular/estadística & datos numéricos , Estudios Retrospectivos , Factores de Riesgo , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Tuberculosis Pulmonar/tratamiento farmacológico , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the safety of room occupants in the Tuberculosis Ultraviolet Shelter Study (TUSS), a double-blind, placebo-controlled field trial of upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) at 14 homeless shelters in six U.S. cities from 1997 to 2004. METHODS: Data collection involved administering questionnaires regarding eye and skin irritation to a total of 3,611 staff and homeless study subjects. RESULTS: Among these subjects, there were 223 reports of eye or skin symptoms. During the active UV period, 95 questionnaires (6%) noted such symptoms, and during the placebo period, 92 questionnaires (6%) did so. In the 36 remaining cases, either the UV period when symptoms took place was unknown or the symptoms spanned both periods. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of reports of symptoms between the active and placebo periods. One definite instance of UV-related keratoconjunctivitis occurred, resulting from a placement of a bunk bed in a dormitory where a single bed had been used when the UV fixtures were first installed. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that careful application of upper-room UVGI can be achieved without an apparent increase in the incidence of the most common side effects of accidental UV overexposure.
Asunto(s)
Desinfección/métodos , Queratoconjuntivitis/etiología , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/efectos de la radiación , Trastornos por Fotosensibilidad/etiología , Rayos Ultravioleta/efectos adversos , Contaminación del Aire Interior/prevención & control , Método Doble Ciego , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/prevención & control , Humanos , Control de Infecciones/métodos , Tuberculosis Pulmonar/prevención & controlRESUMEN
Bioterrorism is an area of increasing public health concern. The intent of this article is to review the air cleansing technologies available to protect building occupants from the intentional release of bioterror agents into congregate spaces (such as offices, schools, auditoriums, and transportation centers), as well as through outside air intakes and by way of recirculation air ducts. Current available technologies include increased ventilation, filtration, and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) UVGI is a common tool in laboratories and health care facilities, but is not familiar to the public, or to some heating, ventilation, and air conditioning engineers. Interest in UVGI is increasing as concern about a possible malicious release of bioterror agents mounts. Recent applications of UVGI have focused on control of tuberculosis transmission, but a wide range of airborne respiratory pathogens are susceptible to deactivation by UVGI. In this article, the authors provide an overview of air disinfection technologies, and an in-depth analysis of UVGI-its history, applications, and effectiveness.