Alternative room disinfection modalities - Pros and cons

Abstract

The purpose of this Chapter is to review the efficacy, effectiveness, and efficiency of chemical fumigation and germicidal UVC irradiation use in healthcare and other related environments. The primary objective is to identify when the benefits associated with fumigation or irradiation outweigh the risks of human injury or other adverse effects. It is hypothesized that both fumigation and UV irradiation are capable of killing microorganisms; however, it is uncertain whether the benefits in terms of overall hospital patient infection rates outweigh the risks and costs associated with these methods.