Infection Management Limited Complete Infection Control Project For Cork University Hospital

Infection Control UV LampCork University Hospital (CUH) is the largest hospital in Ireland and is the only Level 1 Trauma centre in the country due to the presence of over 40 different medical and surgical specialties on the campus. CUH is also the primary teaching hospital for the Faculty of Health and Science in University College Cork located nearby.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common recessive genetic disease which affects the entire body, causing progressive disability and often early death. Difficulty breathing is the most serious symptom and results from frequent lung infections that are treated with, though not cured by, antibiotics and other medications.

CF is most common among Caucasians and Ireland has both the highest incidence of CF in the world; 2.98 per 10,000 - and the highest carrier rate in the world with 1 in 19 individuals classed as carriers. Cystic fibrosis is Ireland's most common life-threatening inherited disease.

Lung disease results from clogging of the airways due to mucus build-up, decreased mucociliary clearance and resulting inflammation. Many of these symptoms occur when bacteria that normally inhabit the thick mucus grow out of control and cause pneumonia. Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the three most common organisms causing lung infections in CF patients.

In addition to typical bacterial infections, people with CF more commonly develop other types of lung disease. Among these is allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, in which the body's response to the common fungus Aspergillus fumigatus causes worsening of breathing problems. Another is infection with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), a group of bacteria related to tuberculosis, which can cause a lot of lung damage and does not respond to common antibiotics.

The aim of the project was to provide disinfection to prevent infections to patients visiting the unit through the use of UVC technology. Infection Management Limited (IML) designed; built and installed a UVC system for the Patient Review Rooms, the Clinician’s Room and the Gymnasium.
The system provides measured doses of UVC to each room through ceiling mounted lamps and each room is controlled via a central control panel. The central control panel contains the necessary control and safety circuits for each associated room. Low voltage safety relays contained within the panel control all safety aspects of the system which will fail safe in the event of the safety circuit being activated.

Each room has individual controls to allow flexibility of operation and to allow the resetting of rooms should the safety circuit be activated during UV operation. A single room failure does not affect the operation of the system to the other rooms.

Personnel safety is ensured by using magnetic safety switches to each of the doors, and in addition Emergency Stop switches are provided. In total 21 lamps have been supplied together with their associated controls.