Introduction

Nowadays, ensuring effective Infection Control practices has become vital across all sectors, from hospitals and laboratories to pharmaceutical industries and research units. COVID-19 highlighted the need for robust, science-based approaches to minimize pathogen transmission. We offer an innovative solution that combines efficacy, safety, and sustainability.

What Is Infection Control and Why It Matters

Infection Control refers to a set of strategies designed to prevent the spread of diseases within controlled environments. These include:

• Hand hygiene: using antiseptic soap or alcohol-based solutions.

• Disinfection of surfaces and equipment: employing effective and safe agents.

• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE): proper protection against biological agents.

• Air and clean zone control: HVAC systems with HEPA filters, isolation, negative pressure.

• Monitoring and auditing: biological and chemical indicators, records, and analysis.

Failing to establish a safe environment can result in outbreaks, cross-contamination, batch contamination, and, in severe cases, life-threatening risks for healthcare workers and patients.

The Importance of Ongoing Training for Effective Infection Control

Continuous and updated training of healthcare and support staff is critical for the success of Infection Control practices. Keeping up to date with best practices, standards, and technologies ensures strict adherence to prevention protocols. Training should cover everything from hand hygiene to the correct use of PPE and proper disinfection of surfaces and equipment. While Delox promotes the integration of advanced technologies, it recognizes that the human factor is decisive for the effectiveness of these processes. Therefore, continuous education fosters a safety culture that complements and enhances the impact of technological solutions, ensuring effective prevention of healthcare-associated infections.

Infection Control in Production Sites

Infection control in production sites is critical to ensuring product integrity, employee safety, and compliance with stringent industry standards. Delox, through its solid hydrogen peroxide (DeloxHP) technology, offers an effective and residue-free solution for bio-decontamination in industrial and manufacturing environments. Unlike traditional chemical methods, Delox’s vapor-phase system operates at low temperatures and leaves no toxic residues, making it ideal for sensitive production zones such as refrigerators, biosafety cabinets, pass boxes, electronics manufacturing lines, or food processing facilities. With compact, portable units like the Delox Box, companies can automate contamination control across various production stages, minimizing microbial risk and operational downtime while maintaining environmental sustainability.

The Impact of Automated Technologies on Infection Control

Automated decontamination technologies have transformed Infection Control practices by offering advantages in effectiveness, speed, and safety. These solutions allow complete disinfection of environments and equipment through controlled cycles, reducing variability associated with manual cleaning and enhancing process uniformity. Devices like the Delox Box exemplify innovations that enable decontamination of complex spaces without heavy use of harsh chemicals or long wait times. This automation contributes to a safer environment, preventing outbreaks and protecting both patients and healthcare workers.

Effective Environmental Disinfection Strategies

Environmental disinfection is a critical component of Infection Control strategies in healthcare settings. Frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, and medical equipment can serve as reservoirs for pathogens, facilitating cross-transmission between patients and healthcare professionals. Implementing rigorous cleaning and disinfection protocols using broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents is essential to reduce microbial environmental load. Studies indicate that disinfectants with broad-spectrum action, combined with standardized cleaning techniques, significantly reduce healthcare-associated infection incidence. Additionally, integrating advanced technologies such as disinfection efficacy monitoring systems allows for a more precise and efficient approach to environmental infection control.

Monitoring and Auditing in Infection Control

Continuous monitoring and auditing of Infection Control practices are essential to assess the effectiveness of implemented interventions and identify areas needing improvement. Using key performance indicators such as healthcare-associated infection rates and compliance with hygiene protocols enables objective, data-driven evaluation. Moreover, regular internal and external audits provide independent oversight on adherence to established standards and the effectiveness of control measures. Combining rigorous monitoring, independent auditing, and constructive feedback helps maintain high safety and quality standards in healthcare, reducing the risk of nosocomial infection transmission.

Delox as a Key Ally in Infection Control

Delox, a spin-off from the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Lisbon, developed the DeloxHP technology – a solid hydrogen peroxide formula that emits dry vapor at low temperature without toxic residues. This innovation promotes effective, sustainable, and safe decontamination, ideal for reinforcing Infection Control procedures in critical areas such as biosafety cabinets, incubators, and sterile production zones.

Delox Box: The Discreet Weapon Against Environmental Contamination

The Delox Box is a portable unit designed for automatic decontamination of volumes up to 2 m³, complementing hospital and laboratory Infection Control efforts. It projects dry hydrogen peroxide vapor achieving a log-6 (≥ 99.9999%) elimination of microorganisms – including spores, viruses, and bacteria – at just 60–65 °C without chemical residues.

Advantages:

• Fast and continuous action, ideal for use between clinical shifts

• Compatibility with sensitive surfaces and components

• Validation with biological and chemical indicators

Final Thoughts

Modern Infection Control demands solutions that combine innovation, safety, and sustainability, alongside continuous education and training of professionals. DeloxHP technology, applied in portable systems like the Delox Box, provides an automated layer of environmental decontamination – essential in critical sectors.

By integrating conventional practices with emerging technologies and fostering a safety culture based on ongoing training and monitoring, institutions can strengthen protection barriers and advance infection control. Delox, with validated and sustainable technology, offers a significant contribution to the evolution of modern Infection Control.

To learn more about how Delox can enhance your Infection Control efforts, explore our products on delox-global.com. Discover detailed information about our innovative DeloxHP technology and the versatile Delox Box, designed for effective and sustainable environmental decontamination. By exploring our products, you’ll see how Delox solutions can help you maintain safer, cleaner, and more efficient healthcare and laboratory environments