As the threat of measles and other infectious diseases continue to make headlines, more and more building and facility managers are searching for ways to reduce the threat from contagious airborne pathogens.
Using ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) for disinfection is not new. In 1877, researchers in the journal Nature described how sunlight prohibited the growth of microorganisms. Since the 1940s, many hospitals have relied upon germicidal ultraviolet-C (UV-C) energy to control airborne infectious diseases, but use waned with the arrival and proliferation of antibiotics. In the 1990s, demand for the technology returned following a resurgence of drug-resistant infectious microorganisms; as germicidal UV-C technology kills airborne pathogens without increasing their antibiotic resistance. In other words, there is no way for microbes to develop a resistance to germicidal UV-C, and there are no harmful side effects as a result of its use. It’s important to note that science has not found any microorganism that can withstand the destructive effects of the UV-C 254-nm germicidal wavelength, including superbugs and other antibiotic resistant germs.