Xenex LightStrike Robot Destroys SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) in 2 Minutes; First & Only UV Disinfection Technology Proven to Deactivate COVID-19 Virus - Odessa American
Xenex LightStrike Robot Destroys SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) in 2 Minutes; First & Only UV Disinfection Technology Proven to Deactivate COVID-19 Virus - Odessa American |
- Xenex LightStrike Robot Destroys SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) in 2 Minutes; First & Only UV Disinfection Technology Proven to Deactivate COVID-19 Virus - Odessa American
- Protect yourself and your pets: CDC says keep animals 6 feet apart - KGW.com
- Unique Namibian trial finds smart interventions reduce malaria transmission by 75% - EurekAlert
| Posted: 30 Apr 2020 08:21 AM PDT SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 30, 2020-- SARS-CoV-2 is a global threat for which the world was unprepared. Xenex Disinfection Services announced today that its LightStrike™ pulsed xenon disinfection robot is the first and only ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology proven to deactivate the actual SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2). The LightStrike disinfection robot destroyed SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus that causes COVID-19, in two minutes. Testing was performed at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, one of the world's leading independent research institutes working exclusively on infectious diseases. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200430005656/en/ The Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot is the first and only UV disinfection technology proven to destroy the actual SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. (Photo: Business Wire) Surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 pose a grave threat to the safety of healthcare workers, patients, frontline responders, military service members, cruise line passengers, hotel guests and citizens everywhere. Deactivating the SARS-CoV-2 virus on surfaces is a critical and necessary step to protect people now and in the future as businesses reopen and people get back to work. Hospitals, medical office buildings, hotels, offices, gyms, and many other spaces can benefit immediately from LightStrike disinfection as the global pandemic demonstrates the need for quick and effective disinfection wherever people work, play, or live. Xenex Germ-Zapping Robots™ use a xenon lamp to generate bursts of high intensity, full germicidal spectrum (200-315nm) UVC light that's more intense than sunlight. Different pathogens are susceptible to UVC light at different wavelengths. With full germicidal spectrum light, Xenex LightStrike robots quickly deactivate viruses, bacteria and spores where they are most vulnerable without damaging hospital materials or equipment. Xenex validated the efficacy of the LightStrike disinfection robot against live (not surrogate) SARS-CoV-2 in the biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) containment laboratory at Texas Biomedical Research Institute. Testing was also performed to measure decontamination of N95 respirator masks, as a result of healthcare facilities being forced to reuse personal protective equipment (PPE), and the robot achieved a 99.99% level of disinfection. Designed for maximum containment, BSL-4 labs offer a safe environment for scientists to study deadly pathogens for which there are no known treatments or vaccines. While SARS-CoV-2 is considered a BSL-3 level pathogen, Texas Biomed has both BSL-3 and BSL-4 resources and is able to utilize both in the study of COVID-19. Texas Biomed is home to one of fewer than 10 BSL-4 labs in North America and the only privately owned one. The Institute has both the expertise and resources to test against these pathogens. In 2015, also at Texas Biomed, Xenex proved the ability of the LightStrike robot to destroy the Ebola virus in 1 minute. "COVID-19 caused the world to stop in its tracks. As we discuss and plan for re-entry, disinfection of public spaces is a major priority to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Putting an effective infection prevention infrastructure in place now is essential," said Dr. Mark Stibich, Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Xenex. "Our robots have been adopted as the environmental standard of care by many of the world's leading hospitals because they work -- and they work very quickly. As an evidence-based company, we turned to Texas Biomed to evaluate the efficacy of pulsed xenon UV against SARS-CoV-2 because we wanted our current and future customers to know with certainty that their pulsed xenon UV robots could stop COVID-19." Xenex is the world leader in UV disinfection for healthcare facilities and its LightStrike robots have been deployed in more than 500 healthcare facilities around the world, including HonorHealth, the Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Stanford, and USC. The robots work quickly and do not require warm-up or cool-down time, so facilities are able to disinfect dozens of rooms per day (per robot). Hospitals have published peer-reviewed studies showing significant reductions in Clostridium difficile (C.diff), MRSA, VRE and/or Surgical Site Infection (SSI) rates after integrating Xenex's infection prevention programs and using LightStrike robots to supplement their environmental disinfection efforts. "The COVID-19 pandemic has unearthed distinct scientific challenges, one of which is the ability to quickly engage in partnerships for the sake of moving technologies, therapies and vaccines to market quickly," said Dr. Larry Schlesinger, President & CEO and Professor at Texas Biomed. "Texas Biomed is a unique nonprofit that has the expertise, the technology and the business model to support contract research in addition to independent research that expedites the discovery process and helps companies like Xenex see results." About Xenex Xenex is a world leader in UV technology-based infection prevention strategies and solutions. Xenex's mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by destroying the deadly microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections. Xenex is backed by well-known investors that include EW Healthcare Partners, Piper Jaffray, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures and RK Ventures. For more information, visit xenex.com. About Texas Biomed Texas Biomed is one of the world's leading independent biomedical research institutions dedicated to eradicating infection and advancing human health worldwide through innovative biomedical research. Texas Biomed partners with researchers and institutions around the world to develop vaccines and therapeutics against viral pathogens causing AIDS, hepatitis, hemorrhagic fever, tuberculosis and parasitic diseases responsible for malaria and schistosomiasis disease. The Institute has programs in host pathogen interaction, disease intervention and prevention and population health to understand the links between infectious diseases and other diseases such as aging, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200430005656/en/ CONTACT: Melinda Hart Xenex Media Relations (210) 240-4669 KEYWORD: TEXAS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HEALTH INFECTIOUS DISEASES TECHNOLOGY HOSPITALS OTHER TECHNOLOGY GENERAL HEALTH BIOTECHNOLOGY SOURCE: Xenex Copyright Business Wire 2020. PUB: 04/30/2020 11:21 AM/DISC: 04/30/2020 11:21 AM Copyright Business Wire 2020.  |
| Protect yourself and your pets: CDC says keep animals 6 feet apart - KGW.com Posted: 29 Apr 2020 05:25 PM PDT  PORTLAND, Ore — Editor's note: The video above is from April 7, 2020. When you take your dog on a walk, don't let your social distancing guard down. The same goes for your indoor/outdoor cat. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it's best to take precautions and keep your pets away from other people and animals at this time. Not only should you maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet from others, but the CDC now says your animals should maintain that distance as well. In the U.S. multiple animals, including a family's pug in North Carolina, two pet cats, and five tigers and three lions at the Bronx Zoo in New York have tested positive for COVID-19. Two pet dogs and a pet cat in Hong Kong also tested positive. But the CDC said there's no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, that causes COVID-19. RELATED: VERIFY: What does it mean now that 2 cats have tested positive for COVID-19? The American Veterinary Medical Association says at this time, "We have no information that suggests that pets might be a source of infection for people with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19." The risk of animals spreading the disease to people is considered to be low, experts say. But while the main way the virus spreads is from person to person, transmission between animals and humans can't be ruled out until more testing is done. Zoonotic diseases - those transmitted from animals to people - are very common and Oregon Veterinary Medical Association President Dr. Timothy McCarthy says those illnesses cover the entire spectrum of viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases. So it's not surprising to veterinarians that animals are being diagnosed with this particular disease and that it is found in multiple species. "I think the concern people should have is about other people, not animals. And with more time and more data concerning animal infections then we will be able to give more clear-cut answers. But at this time we really can't," McCarthy said. Dr. McCarthy says during the COVID-19 outbreak people should not let their pets interact with anyone - two-legged or four-legged - outside of the household. The same precautionary measures taken with other humans should apply to pets' interactions, Dr. McCarthy says. RELATED: CDC extends social distancing guidelines to include pets "Same applications you would use for people--distance, lack of contact or minimizing any contact, not allowing dogs to play with other dogs, not letting cats outside unattended--are a very reasonable thing to do at this point in time," McCarthy said, "And I don't think it's doing too much at all. It's just being careful to avoid contact with the unknown. In other words, the unknown pet that could be infected, the unknown person that could be infected." As tempting as it is, avoid petting other people's dogs. For now, hold off on bringing your pups to dog parks and letting them run around off leash. To be cautious, keep your indoor/outdoor cat inside at this point. In some situations, McCarthy says those cats will become extremely stressed cooped up indoors. As you've heard hundreds of times by now, wash your hands and maintain good hygiene, around people and around animals. If someone inside your home gets sick, the CDC says make sure that person is in isolation away from other people and pets. Have someone else in the home take care of the animals while they are ill. While McCarthy says there's no scientific evidence at this point to prove contamination can be found under an animal's fur, "It's logical to assume that if it can be on paper or other things we touch that it could certainly be on an animal." "I certainly wouldn't be afraid of my animal or afraid of contact with my animal unless there's a high-risk contamination situation. And we should be cherishing our animals and providing comfort for them and allowing them to provide for us in this confinement situation we're dealing with right now," McCarthy added. For more information on coronavirus and pets, visit the CDC's FAQ page.  |
| Unique Namibian trial finds smart interventions reduce malaria transmission by 75% - EurekAlert Posted: 27 Apr 2020 07:15 AM PDT  IMAGE: Immo Kleinschmidt is a Principal Investigator in the Namibian malaria trial. He is Honorary Professor in the School of Pathology at the University of the Witwatersrand and Professor of Epidemiology... view more Credit: Wits University The researchers published their findings in the prestigious journal The Lancet on World Malaria Day on 25 April even as countries the world over battle to contain transmission of the COVID-19. The malaria trial conducted in northern Namibia demonstrates how malaria incidence can be reduced by up to 75% in settings where malaria transmission is mostly low but persistent, and plagued by sporadic outbreaks of higher numbers of malaria cases. This scenario in Namibia is in many ways typical in neighbouring South Africa's malaria endemic districts. In a Global South and Global North collaboration, scientists at the WRIM at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa; the University of Namibia with the Namibia Ministry of Health and Social Services; the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; the University of California, San Francisco; and the University of Texas, Southwestern conducted this first ever randomized controlled trial of its kind. "The reduction in cases was achieved using existing tools, namely anti-malarial drugs and insecticides, but deploying these in a 'smart' way, i.e., in close proximity of newly reported cases," says Professor Immo Kleinschmidt, one of the Principal Investigators in the project, Honorary Professor in the Wits School of Pathology and Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Infectious Disease at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. "Our results are derived from a community randomised controlled clinical trial. This means that the effects of the interventions are compared between groups that are similar in all respects apart from the intervention they are receiving. The findings are therefore very unlikely to be due to chance, and the conclusions are more robust than they would have been from an observational study." Co-authors Lizette Koekemoer, WRIM Research Professor and an honorary member in the Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases at the National Institute for Communicable diseases, and Erica Erlank, WRIM Associate Researcher, provided training and support in entomology [the study of insects] during the trial. THE TRIAL: DRUGS, SPRAY OR BOTH? In this study, researchers conducted a trial to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of two interventions: (i) reactive focal mass drug administration (rfMDA) and (ii) reactive focal vector control (RAVC), and their combination. This trial is unique because it is the first randomized controlled trial of rfMDA and/or RAVC. Study communities were randomly assigned to receive either rfMDA, or RAVC, or the combination, or neither of these two interventions (the latter being the control group). The study took place in the Zambezi Region, northern Namibia, and targeted people that were at the highest risk of malaria infection based on their proximity within 500 meters of malaria index cases that emerged during the transmission season. In one arm of the trial, these neighbours of any new malaria case were offered a standard dose of the anti-malarial drug Coartem®, without first testing whether these neighbours carried the parasite that causes malaria. This drug clear them of parasites even if the level of parasites they carried were below the density that can be detected by the standard rapid diagnostic test. The drug would also provide a short period of protection against new infections. In another arm of the trial, neighbours of index cases had the interior walls of their houses sprayed with a highly effective insecticide, Pirimiphos-methyl, irrespective of whether or not their houses had previously been treated in the annual spray carried out routinely in such areas. In the randomized trial, communities received either the drug, the house spray, the drug and the house spray, or neither of these interventions. Both the drug and the house-spraying interventions were shown to be safe and highly effective, either on their own or when administered together. Both the drugs and the house-spraying approaches significantly reduced malaria transmission in this low endemic setting. WHY THIS TRIAL MATTERS Mass drug administration (MDA) is the administration of antimalarial drugs to target the parasite reservoir in humans, without necessarily testing if those people carry the parasite that causes malaria. The World Health Organization recommends MDA for the elimination of the Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite. However, the effort and cost required to implement MDA on a large scale can be challenging. The Namibian study reduced the 'mass' in MDA by targeting just the small ring of people around recent index cases - the people at the highest risk of malaria - and thus implemented an existing intervention more efficiently and economically. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) and the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets have since 2000 significantly reduced malaria cases and deaths in target populations in sub-Saharan Africa. These interventions are normally administered in a 'blanket' style before the malaria season (October to May). The Namibian study targeted a highly effective but expensive insecticide, pirimiphos-methyl, at the small ring of houses around recent index cases. The cost of the insecticide makes it more difficult to use in blanket spraying, but suitable in focal spraying as smaller quantities will be used. The cost of the insecticide is thus offset by its focal use of targeting only high risk populations. "We found that reactive focal mass drug administration and reactive focal vector control, when implemented alone and in combination, significantly reduced malaria transmission among targeted populations in the Zambezi region of Namibia," says Koekemoer. "Furthermore, the two interventions, when used in combination, had an additive effect - reducing rates of new malaria cases by 75%". TOWARDS ZERO TRANSMISSION TARGETS Although malaria still causes an estimated 230 million cases and over 400 000 deaths each year, dramatic success in fighting the disease over the last two decades has inspired many countries to commit to eliminating transmission altogether. To date, the World Health Organization has certified 38 countries and territories malaria-free. In southern Africa, eight countries - including South Africa and Namibia - have made the elimination of malaria a policy goal. In recent years, however, progress towards eliminating transmission has slowed in many regions including Africa, highlighting the need for new approaches. Where malaria cases have been reduced to low levels, transmission still occurs due a reservoir of chronic, low density infections in people without symptoms. This means that these infections are largely undetectable through standard surveillance approaches. Because the mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasite are still present, these infections may seed further infections in their immediate neighborhood, potentially leading to outbreaks of malaria cases. To prevent such outbreaks from leading to wider epidemics, effective focal responses that target high-risk populations, such as those assessed in the Namibian study, need to be mobilized. While additional studies will help determine the optimal scenarios in which these approaches could be implemented, the Namibian study suggests that reactive focal mass drug administration and reactive focal vector control can be applied in other countries that (i) have Plasmodium falciparum parasite-carrying mosquitos (ii) are close to eliminating transmission and (iii) have good case reporting systems. "These approaches can only be used if index cases are promptly and reliably reported and becauseSouth Africa has a responsive and reliable malaria case reporting system, the country is well placed to take advantage of these interventions," says Koekemoer. The Namibian study shows how tailoring and targeting existing interventions can help improve their effectiveness and contribute to the elimination of malaria transmission permanently. ###  |
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