SOURCE: Prolitec
Prolitec’s ariaTM System Targets Airborne Bacteria
NEW ORLEANS, LA–(Marketwire – July 12, 2010) – Hand washing and frequent wiping of surfaces like counters and handrails are necessary elements in institutional infection-control protocols. Effective as these techniques are, however, they are labor intensive, not automated, and do nothing to counter airborne bacteria — one of the primary mechanisms for the spread of disease. With the introduction of Prolitec, Inc.’s aria™ air-sanitizing agent, assisted-living facilities, hospitals, medical offices, and other enclosed spaces finally have a means of addressing this critical gap in infection control.
Prolitec’s Aerobiology and Infection Control division unveiled the new aria™ system today at the annual conference of the Washington, D.C.-based Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, in New Orleans.
The aria™ air-sanitizing system, which won EPA registration in November 2009, uses newly patented Prolitec technology to generate an invisible “dry” vapor of a safe and effective air sanitizing agent. The vapor can be distributed within a space directly from a small wall-mounted appliance or indirectly through an air handler. The result is a uniformly distributed vapor compliant with OSHA air-contaminant restrictions for workplace inhalation — one that is non-damaging to materials and electronics, yet significantly decreases the numbers of viable airborne bacteria under relatively wide conditions of relative humidity and temperature.
“Bacteria and other microorganisms are frequently introduced into the air by actions such as sneezing and coughing. Once microorganisms are airborne they can be inhaled or can settle and contaminate surfaces,” noted Dr. Craig A. Kelly, a veteran Johns Hopkins University scientist and chief of Prolitec’s Aerobiology and Infection-Control unit. “The function of the aria™ system is to reduce the concentration of airborne bacteria in a continuous and automated manner, thereby reducing the likelihood of inhalation or surface-settling of viable microorganisms.”
“An important feature of aria™ is that it is fully automated and works 24 hours a day, seven days a week without any human intervention,” noted Richard Weening, CEO of Milwaukee-based Prolitec. “The aria™ system can safely and effectively reduce background levels of airborne bacteria to establish the foundation of a successful infection-control protocol. It is the one part of the program that will always be 100% compliant.”
Dr. Kelly added: “Amid heightened awareness of disease transmission by airborne microorganisms, aria™ provides a critical tool for the infection-control professional to address airborne bacteria in a way that was not previously available. That can translate into a greater sense of safety and well-being for patients, residents, caregivers and visitors alike.”
About Prolitec
Prolitec (www.prolitec.com) develops and deploys air-treatment and air care technologies, including odor control, ambient scenting, aromatherapy and the use of scent as a medium of communication. Clients include assisted-living facilities, hotels, casinos, retailers and other commercial organizations in the United States and around the world. Prolitec’s Aerobiology and Infection Control Unit is developing interior air and surface systems to inhibit disease transmission.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos are available from Parness & Associates