Clorox Healthcare Launches A New Comprehensive Approach To Environmental Disinfection For Healthcare

OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Studies prove that pathogens, such as Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) and MRSA, can persist on environmental surfaces for months at a time[i] and can be found facility-wide in non-isolation rooms.[ii] Clorox Healthcare, already known for its line of innovative hospital disinfectants, is now partnering with Ultraviolet Devices, Inc. (UVDI) to introduce the Clorox Healthcare™ Optimum-UV™ System. For the first time ever, the two companies will team up to combine the power of manual surface disinfection with advanced ultraviolet (UV) technology to deliver an even more comprehensive surface disinfection solution.

"Both Clorox Healthcare and UVDI understand the challenges faced by today's hospitals and patient care facilities, and we share a commitment to providing healthcare professionals with optimal cleaning solutions," said Matt Laszlo, Vice President and General Manager, Clorox Professional Products Company. "This partnership signifies the importance of and the need for a bundling of environmental surface solutions, so hospitals can take a more comprehensive approach to reduce the threat of infections among patients, staff and visitors. With the Clorox Healthcare™ Optimum-UV™ System, there is now a solution that works hand-in-hand with routine manual cleaning and disinfecting procedures to reduce the threat of infection."

Studies indicate that only 50 percent of environmental surfaces in a typical hospital operating or patient room may be effectively disinfected[iii] – and these surfaces can enable transmission of dangerous pathogens. The Clorox Healthcare™ Optimum-UV™ System offers another layer of assurance by treating high-touch surfaces that may have been missed during routine cleaning, such as bed rails, doorknobs and handles, as well as areas that may be difficult to clean manually and thoroughly, such as walls, light fixtures, windows and floors.

The Clorox Healthcare™ Optimum-UV™ System offers:

• Strong performance to kill pathogens such as C. difficile and MRSA*: The Clorox Healthcare™ Optimum-UV™ System utilizes powerful UV-C technology to inactivate pathogens, including C. difficile and MRSA. It achieves 99.992% of C. difficile reduction in 5 minutes at 8 feet.

• Quality, user-friendly design: Four 62-inch maximum output UV-C lamps provide greater intensity than bulbs used in other UV devices, which are then combined with an aluminum reflector mast for optimal distribution. Four infrared motion sensors can detect the presence of anyone in the room and stop operation of the system. The Clorox Healthcare™ Optimum-UV™ System is manufactured by UVDI in Valencia, CA in an ISO 9001-2008 certified facility, and each device undergoes extensive testing during production to ensure quality design.  

• Affordability to enable hospital-wide adoption: For hospitals facing increasing demands on financial and physical resources, the Clorox Healthcare™ Optimum-UV™ System provides a high-quality and effective, yet affordable environmental surface solution.

A Winning Partnership
As hospitals treat more and more patients, it's becoming increasingly important that they have the necessary tools to reduce the threat of infection.

Clorox Healthcare and UVDI share a deep commitment to public health and a mission to help protect patients and reduce illnesses caused by HAIs. This partnership enables education about different cleaning and disinfecting options, including innovative, evidence-based solutions. 

"UVDI represents more than 60 years of UV disinfection and product design experience," said Peter Veloz, CEO and Chairman, UVDI. "With the rising need for improved solutions in environmental surface disinfection, we are excited to partner with Clorox Healthcare and expand our reach in providing advanced UV solutions to the healthcare industry."

To learn more about Clorox Healthcare^® solutions, visit http://www.cloroxhealthcare.com/UV.

About Clorox Healthcare
Clorox Healthcare markets some of the most trusted healthcare brands. With a portfolio that includes bleach, hydrogen peroxide and quaternary products, we offer many solutions for hard and soft surfaces. The partnership with UVDI's UV technology reinforces our commitment to helping healthcare professionals stop the spread of infections. For more information, visit www.cloroxhealthcare.com.

[i] Kramer A, Schwebke I, and Kampf G. "How Long Do Nosocomial Pathogens Persist on Inanimate Surfaces? A Systematic Review." BMC Infectious Diseases 6.130 (2006). Web. Accessed 9 Jan. 2014. Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/6/130.

[ii] Smith BA, Adams AB, Armellino DM, Calfee D, Jalon H, Straub T, and Koll B. "The Role of Environmental Services in a Collaborative Infection Prevention Model to Reduce Clostridium difficile in the Greater New York Region." American Journal of Infection Control 37.5 (2009): E189-E190.

[iii] Bhalla A, Pultz NJ, Gries DM, et al. "Acquisition of Nosocomial Pathogens on Hands After Contact With Environmental Surfaces Near Hospitalized Patients." Infection Control Hospital Epidemiology. 2004 Feb;25(2):164–7.

*Based on third-party testing results of Optimum-UV™ System against C. difficile spores and MRSA; 99.992% reduction of C. difficile spores in 5 minutes at 8 feet; >99.999% reduction of MRSA in 2 minutes at 8 feet.

SOURCE Clorox Healthcare