DALLAS– ActivePure Medical, a division of AP Sciences Group, LLC, a global provider of cutting-edge, continuous air and surface decontamination technology for healthcare, today announced results from a pioneering study published in the American Journal of Infection Control. The study demonstrates the significant impact of ActivePure Technology in its Induct Guardian Series air decontamination system, showing a 96-99% reduction in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and a 70% decrease in total healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) across two hospitals.1 This medical-grade, proprietary environmental decontamination technology aims to complement existing infection control measures in hospital settings by providing continuous automated protection.
The research, conducted across intensive care units at two major hospitals – Ochsner Health Center-West Bank, Gretna, LA, and Lexington Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System, Troy Bowling Campus, Lexington, KY – revealed significant and persistent reductions in surface and air contamination, including concerning organisms like MRSA and fungi, following installation of the Induct Guardian Series air decontamination system with ActivePure Technology.
The significant microbial reductions in the treated hospital spaces after activation of ActivePure Technology translated into substantially lower incidence of HAIs at both study sites compared to baseline, offering compelling evidence that continuous environmental decontamination can meaningfully enhance patient safety. At Ochsner Health, total aggregate HAIs declined by 71% over a 21-month period, while the Lexington VA site saw HAIs fall by 70% over 12 months. Notably, the study demonstrated a 96-99% reduction in mean surface MRSA and fungal levels across both facilities.
HAIs are a significant concern within hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and other healthcare settings globally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are approximately 722,000 HAIs and 75,000 HAI-related deaths per year in the U.S.2 HAIs lead to significant human suffering, including early deaths, debilitation and lost productivity. Beyond the immeasurable personal toll, they also result in unnecessary direct medical costs of at least $28.4 billion annually, with additional societal costs amounting to another $12.4 billion.3
“As someone who has dedicated my career to safeguarding public health, I cannot overstate the profound impact ActivePure Medical’s simultaneous air and surface decontamination technology could have in our relentless battle against healthcare-associated infections,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, Chief Medical & Science Advisor at AP Sciences Group, LLC, and former White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator. “I have witnessed firsthand the devastating toll HAIs exact on patients, their families, the healthcare system and society. By providing continuous, proactive decontamination of surfaces and air, the Induct Guardian Series air decontamination system targets the very environmental reservoirs that sustain preventable infections, offering a new, much-needed defense to systematically suppress their propagation. The unprecedented reductions in surface and air contamination, coupled with the substantial declines in observed infections hold remarkable potential to enhance patient safety, alleviate the economic burden posed by these infections and ultimately save countless lives.”
The alarming rise of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens (AMR) driving elevated infection rates, even after COVID-19 surges subsided, underscores an urgent need for new environmental countermeasures. A recent study examining AMR trends across 120 U.S. hospitals found that while overall rates have nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, hospital-acquired AMR infections remained at least 12% higher as of late 2022, primarily driven by difficult-to-treat gram-negative strains.4
Published data highlights from the AJIC study include:
- 98-99% reduction in mean surface MRSA and fungal levels across both facilities
- 96%-99.7% reduction in mean floor MRSA and fungal contamination
- 72%-89% reduction of airborne bacteria and fungi
- 71% decline in total aggregate HAIs over 21 months at the Ochsner site, and 70% over 12 months at the Lexington VA site
Additional data collected up to 25 months post-activation at Ochsner Health Center-West Bank showed continued efficacy of the ActivePure Technology. The extended observation period demonstrated sustained reductions in surface contamination levels, with MRSA and fungal CFUs remaining consistently below baseline levels. Furthermore, the incidence of HAIs in the study ICU continued to show improvement, with an aggregate reduction of 67% over the 25-month period compared to pre-activation data. This long-term data underscores the durability and sustained impact of ActivePure Technology in maintaining a cleaner healthcare environment.
ActivePure Technology works by replicating indoors the same atmospheric cleansing processes found in outdoor air. This proprietary technology produces powerful oxidizing molecules that safely disable pathogens both in the air and on surfaces, running continuously to provide crucial automated protection against environmental contamination risks.
“These studies confirm that current manual disinfection practices, despite dedicated cleaning protocols, still leave patients exposed to persistent reservoirs of deadly pathogens,” said Joseph P. Urso, Chief Executive Officer of AP Sciences Group, LLC. “By providing an automated, continuous layer of added protection, our medical grade technology delivered unprecedented reductions in concerning organisms driving preventable infections across these intensive care units. These aren’t just poignant statistics; they represent a pivotal advancement in safeguarding vulnerable patients and healthcare staff.”
While advancements in cleaning and disinfection protocols have been made, HAIs continue to occur. ActivePure Technology aims to address this critical issue. It provides 24/7 proactive and automated full-facility disinfection of surfaces and air. By targeting missed and neglected surfaces, preventing recontamination, and improving air quality, ActivePure Medical’s air-driven decontamination system using ActivePure Technology contributes to reducing the spread of pathogens and enhancing infection control in healthcare settings.
In addition to acute care settings like the study sites, ActivePure Medical has demonstrated efficacy across long-term care facilities, commercial buildings, schools and more. Findings from skilled nursing facilities showed a 94% reduction in COVID-19 among residents when ActivePure Medical systems were installed, compared to a 46% increase at control facilities without the technology.5
1 Trosch, K et al. The effects of a novel, continuous disinfectant technology on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), fungi, and aerobic bacteria in 2 separate intensive care units in 2 different states: An experimental design with observed impact on health care associated infections (HAIs). Am. J. Infect. Control. 2024 Aug;52(8):884-892. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2024.03.013
2 NCDHHS. Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs). https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/cd/hai/figures.html, accessed on 30 July 2024
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, June 21). Health Topics – Healthcare-associated Infections (HAI). https://www.cdc.gov/policy/polaris/healthtopics/hai/index.html
4 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (2024, April 25). Antimicrobial-resistant hospital infections remain at least 12% above pre-pandemic levels, study finds. MedicalXpress. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04-antimicrobial-resistant-hospital-infections-pre.html
5 ActivePure Technologies. (2024, April 17). Sustained Microbial Burden Reduction & Impact on COVID19 Cases in a Long-Term Care Facility through Advanced Photocatalysis (AP). Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Spring Conference 2024. https://39654865.hs-sites.com/shea-2024-spring-conference-activepure-technology
