Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI’s) are infections that patients contract while receiving treatment at a healthcare facility.

Despite years of effort and improvement, HAI’s continue to be on the rise as virulent strains of pathogens, including Clostridium Difficile (C. diff), Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) become increasingly resistant to drug therapies, and as a result increasingly costly to treat. They are a major global threat to patient safety and a large economic burden to healthcare systems. In the U.S. alone, the CDC reports that HAIs affect approximately seven percent of hospitalized patients each year.

In addition to healthcare facilities, the process manufacturing sector, including food, pharmaceutical, and beverage, is also susceptible to bacterial contamination, especially in food preparation areas due to high foot traffic. Cleanrooms, vital in multiple sectors where even minute particles can pose manufacturing risks, including semiconductors, biotech, medical devices, life sciences, aerospace, optics, and defense industries are at risk of bacterial contamination, necessitating stringent hygiene measures.