ReviewJournal of public health in Africa2025
Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation for surface cleaning of COVID-19 in healthcare settings: A review.
Review in Journal of public health in Africa, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the implementation of additional infection prevention and control (IPC) measures. In healthcare settings, the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections remains high for patients, healthcare workers, and visitors. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) has been explored as a potential alternative for surface disinfection within healthcare facilities and hospitals. Aim: This study evaluates the effectiveness of UVGI as a surface cleaning method for COVID-19. Setting: Healthcare settings. Method: A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Databases searched from 01 January 2020 to 31 August 2022, included Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), with no language restrictions. Two independent researchers screened and extracted data. Proportions and relative risk were calculated, and the evidence quality was assessed using the GRADE approach. Results: Three studies were included, all focusing on terminal disinfection of patient rooms. None directly assessed the effect of UVGI on hospital-acquired SARS-CoV-2 infections. One study found UVGI reduced viral contamination post-regular cleaning in healthcare settings (RR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.02-3.31). Other studies reported complete viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) clearance after 15 min of irradiation at 254 nm and 15 s at 222 nm, respectively. Conclusion: The evidence on UVGI reducing SARS-CoV-2 contamination on surfaces is of very low certainty. Contribution: The very low certainty prevents a definitive conclusion on its effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 in healthcare settings. Further research is needed to strengthen the evidence base.
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