Peroxide Battles Hospital-Acquired Infections

Mounted on a cart, the box-shaped self-contained system utilizes the proprietary Vaprox hydrogen peroxide sterilant, resulting in only water and oxygen as by-products of the decontamination process. The sterilization process itself involves four stages: dehumidification, room conditioning, sterilization, and aeration.

The device includes a desiccant system for the continuous dehumidification of the targeted room; a desiccant dryer regenerator to dry and re-use the desiccant system; an air circulation system for the efficient distribution of sterilant vapor; an auxiliary high capacity aeration system to destroy sterilant vapor at the conclusion of the sterilization cycle; and sensors that continuously monitors room temperature, humidity, and the concentration of sterilant in the air. The Sterilizer is capable of automated and remote operation via wireless technology.

Both the VaproSure Sterilizer and Vaprox are products of Steris (Mentor, OH, USA), and have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported that
hospital-acquired infections killed nearly 19,000 people in the United States in 2005. Other studies have shown that these infections are the eighth leading cause of death in
the U.S., more than AIDS, homicides, automobile accidents, and most forms of cancer.


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