Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association
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The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that enhanced ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (eUVGI) installed in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) heating ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) would decrease HVAC and NICU environment microbes, tracheal colonization and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). ⋯ eUVGI decreased HVAC microbial colonization and was associated with reduced NICU environment and tracheal microbial colonization. Significant reductions in VAP and antibiotic use were also associated with eUVGI in this single-center study. Large randomized multicenter trials are needed.