Decontamination of surfaces contaminated with prion-infected material with gaseous oxidizing agents
AssigneeAmerican Sterilizer Company
InventorsGerald E. McDonnell, Kathleen M. Antloga, Herbert J. Kaiser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surface which carries a material which is infected with prions is cleaned with an alkaline cleaning solution to remove as much proteinaceous material as possible from the surface. The solution contains an alkaline cleaning agent which attacks prions remaining on the surface and which attacks prions removed from the surface during the cleaning step. After the cleaning step, the surface is exposed to a strong gaseous oxidant, preferably hydrogen peroxide vapor. The hydrogen peroxide or other strong oxidant attacks the prions, particularly the unclumped prion strands, deactivating the prions.
Claims22
A method of deactivating prions which is less damaging to surfaces than a conventional treatment with at least one of 1N sodium hydroxide and heating to 120° C. for one hour followed by microbial decontamination, comprising:
- pretreating surfaces that carry prion infected material with an alkaline cleaner, whereby at least a portion of the prions remaining in a residual film on the surfaces are destroyed and thereafter, optionally rinsing and drying the surfaces;
- and
- treating the surfaces with the residual film thereon with an oxidizing agent in gaseous form to deactivate residual prions in the film.
A prion deactivation method comprising:
- pretreating surfaces that carry prion infected material with an alkaline cleaner that deactivates prions;
- and
- treating the surfaces with an oxidizing agent in gaseous form to deactivate any remaining prions, the oxidizing agent including hydrogen peroxide vapor, the oxidizing agent treating step being carried out at from about 45-60° C.
A prion deactivation system for removing and deactivating prions on an item comprising:
- a chamber for receiving the item;
- a well fluidly connected with the chamber for receiving a concentrated alkaline cleaner;
- a supply of water fluidly connected with the well for providing water to mix with the concentrated alkaline cleaner and form an alkaline cleaning solution;
- a source of hydrogen peroxide vapor fluidly connected with the chamber.
A method of deactivating prions comprising:
- pretreating surfaces that carry prion infected material with a cleaner that removes prions, the cleaner having an alkali concentration of about 0.02M to about 0.2M and comprising a surfactant;
- and
- deactivating prions on the surfaces with an oxidizing agent in gaseous form, the oxidizing agent including hydrogen peroxide.
A method of deactivating prions on surfaces of medical devices which are incompatible with treatments which include strong alkali or treatments which include soaking the instrument in concentrated hydroxide or hypochlorite for two hours followed by one hour in an autoclave, the method comprising:
- pretreating surfaces that carry prion infected material with a cleaner that removes prions, the cleaner including a surfactant and having an alkali concentration of about 0.02M to about 0.2M;
- and
- at a temperature of 25° C.-60° C., treating the pretreated surfaces with an oxidizing agent in gaseous form which deactivates prions remaining on the surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.