Objectives: Previous research confirms that aerosols and droplets generated by dental procedures are contaminated with blood and bacteria and represent a potential route for transmission of disease.
Staphylococcus aureus is recognized as being ubiquitous and usually nonpathogenic. However, there is concern that pathogenic antibiotic-resistant strains of
S. aureus, often associated with nosocomial infections, may be airborne in health care environments. Ionic air purifiers such as the Sharper Image Professional Series™ Ionic Breeze Quadra (IB) and Professional Series™ Ionic Breeze® GP® (IBGP) use electrically-charged stainless steel blades to collect airborne particulates such as pollen, dust mite allergen, and tobacco smoke. The IBGP is equipped with a built-in Philips Sterilamp® with germicidal ultraviolet light to kill collected microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to determine if these air purifiers are effective in collecting and destroying bacteria, such as
S. aureus, found in dental aerosols. Methods: IB and IBGP units were placed in dental operatories within the LSU School of Dentistry. After 6 hours of operation, bacterial samples were collected from the units using sterile cotton. The swabs were streaked over surfaces of Petri dishes containing TS-SB agar supplemented with 5% sheep blood and incubated for 48 hours at 37°C, after which the microbial colonies were counted. Further testing was conducted on suspect colonies to identify
S. aureus strains and to determine if any of those isolates were pathogenic with or without antibiotic resistance. Results: The IBGP unit showed a greater than 99% effectiveness in killing all bacteria on the stainless steel blades. The non-germicidal IB Quadra air purifier collected numerous bacteria that were found to include some pathogenic strains of
S. aureus, none of which were antibiotic-resistant. Conclusion: Ionic Breeze air purifiers are a simple method for removing microbial contaminants, including
S. aureus, from dental aerosols.