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The 2014 outbreak of the Ebola virus and the recent spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have renewed interest in germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) lamps for disinfection. UV radiant energy was first used for disinfecting surfaces in 1877,1,2 for water in 1910,3 and for air in 1935.4 GUV’s use in recent decades has been largely limited in the U.S. to water treatment facilities and hidden (shielded) in heating and air-conditioning ductwork, or used in biological laboratories. GUV is being used in many countries to control airborne transmission of tuberculosis (TB). In addition, some U.S. healthcare facilities are now using autonomous mobile units (“robots”) to add enhanced hygiene to patient rooms in order to reduce hospital-acquired infections. More-widespread use of GUV is often limited by safety concerns, but these are manageable and minor compared to potential infection prevention. Most of the public are not aware of its unique value in disinfection of air and contaminated surfaces.
