Synexis LLC, a microbial reduction and developer of hydrogen peroxide gas and Dry Hydrogen Peroxide (DHP) technology for occupied spaces, announced positive new data from an analysis evaluating the use of DHP Technology in a clinical setting. The results were published in the current issue of the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC).
According to the press release, the retrospective analysis assessed the efficacy of DHP Technology, in addition to standard manual cleaning, in reducing hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a pediatric oncology hospital. As an adjunct technology for environmental cleaning, DHP contributed to the reduction in HAIs in this clinical setting.
“Standard cleaning and disinfecting protocols may not be sufficient for immunocompromised patients who are particularly susceptible to HAIs,” said Dr. Mario Melgar, Medical Director for Infection and Control.
The study was conducted between January 2019 and November 2020 at the pediatric ICU (PICU) at Unidad Nacional de Oncología Pediátrica (UNOP), the National Referral Center for Children with Cancer and a global partner of a leading pediatric cancer institution in the U.S. UNOP is a 65-bed pediatric oncology hospital located in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Though they follow all CDC guidelines and protocols for preventing HAIs, DHP Technology was added to standard environmental cleaning and disinfection in the PICU to determine its effect on HAI rates.
Between 2019 and 2020, the addition of DHP to standard cleaning resulted in a 44.3% reduction in HAI incidence in the PICU, including a 76.4% reduction in Clostridioides-associated gastroenteritis, compared to the period before DHP installation.
Additionally, only one case of hospital-acquired COVID-19-associated non-pneumonia respiratory infection occurred in the PICU where DHP was installed compared to a control area without DHP which experienced an increase in hospital-acquired non-pneumonia respiratory infections. This is consistent with recent studies that indicate DHP inactivates SARS-CoV-2 both in the air and on surfaces.
Overall, exposure to DHP led to a 61.4% reduced odds of contracting an HAI during their stay. HAI incidence did not significantly change in another part of the hospital where DHP was not installed.
