‘Magic Wand’ shines a light to kill bacteria

Purelight XD is a safe, portable tool for removing life threatening community-acquired MRSA & C.difficile

London, Feb 2009 - Purelight Europe, today announced the availability of a new family of products designed to provide simple, safe, portable sterilization in the home and business.  The Purelight XD is a light wand that harnesses Ultra Violet-C light to destroy virus and bacteria that exist on surfaces, including deadly community-acquired MRSA and the C.difficile bacteria.

“People tend to think that infections are only picked up in hospital. The reality is that those in contact with care homes, nurseries, crowded classrooms and gyms are at risk by the spread of virulent and deadly community-acquired MRSA,” said Andy Felton, Director, PureLight Europe. “The Purelight XD enables anyone to take immediate steps to significantly reduce the risk of infection as part of their cleaning routine.  The Purelight XD is easy to use, environmentally friendly and kills 99.9% of bacteria simply using the power of UV-C light.”

Although invisible to the human eye, UV-C can kill most of the germs and viruses responsible for causing disease by breaking down the microbial DNA, eliminating them without chemical residue. Independent laboratory tests prove that exposure for no more than twenty seconds to Purelight XD UV-C light will result in more than 99.9 percent sterilization effect on bacteria like MRSA and C. difficile.

“An effective cleaning regime is a must for any organisation that wishes to reduce the spread of infection.  However, cleaning by itself may not kill virus, which can remain live on a surface for 48 hours, or bacterial spores which survice for many months,” added Felton. “By harnessing the power of Ultra Violet light, Purelight XD provides the reassurance that a surface is not only superficially clean but also free from all germs.  All it takes is a sweep of light to create a safer environment.”

Notes for Editors

Of an estimated 300,000 UK residents a year who contract superbugs such as MRSA & C.difficile while being treated in hospital at least 5,000 die.

About MRSA & C.difficile

MRSA

MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is shorthand for any strain of common Staphylococcus bacteria naturally carried it the throat by people, which can cause a mild infection in a healthy person. Antibiotics are not completely powerless against MRSA, but patients who become infected may require a much higher dose over a much longer period, the young, old and infirm can be at particular risk.

There are 17 strains of MRSA, with differing degrees of immunity to the effects of various conventional antibiotics, clones 15 and 16, are regarded as more transmissible than the others, and account for 96% of MRSA bloodstream infections in the UK. Though rare in other countries, these strains are spreading.

Community-acquired MRSA

Community-acquired MRSA produces a necrotising pneumonia, Panton-Valentine Leukocidin, or PVL that can rapidly attack the lungs, killing within hours. PVL also destroys white blood cells and thus the body's immune system, putting the young and healthy equally at risk. Community-acquired MRSA infects more than 150 a year in the UK with recorded cases rising at a rate of 30 per cent a year. Symptoms range from the superficial but painful, such as boils, to fatal blood poisoning where half who contract PVL die within the first 24 hours.

C. difficile

C.difficile is an anaerobic bacterium of the family Clostridium (the family that causes tetanus, botulism, and gas gangrene) that produces spores that can survive for a long time in the environment. When not held back by the normal healthy bacteria, it multiplies in the intestine and produces two toxins (A and B) that damage the cells lining the intestine. This can cause mild diarrhoea to very severe illness and can be fatal.

There are over a 100 strains of C.difficile; Type 027 produces much more of the toxins, causing a greater proportion of severe disease and appears to have a higher mortality. Type 27 is very capable of spreading between patients and has recorded outbreaks in the USA, Canada and the UK.

About Purelight Europe

Purelight Europe is a supplier of scientifically and market proven, safe, portable, enhanced UV-C microbial sterilization systems for our modern care environments and a critical addition to existing sanitation protocols. It offers the most comprehensive range of UV-C sterilizing systems in the marketplace, from compact hand portable systems to ‘whole room’ purification and sterilization solutions. There are unlimited potential uses for Purelight in hospitals, clinics, hotels, restaurants and homes. Purelight UV-C Light products use 100% chemical-free UV-C sterilization to sanitize objects and surfaces. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation protects against bacteria & viruses including noroviruses, SARS, clostridium.difficile, anthrax, avian bird flu, and Foot and Mouth disease - guaranteeing a 99.9% kill rate of bacteria & viruses, plus it will eradicate dust mites & bed bug eggs.

Visit www.purelighteurope.com