Khan M A, Ikram A, Savul S, Lalani F K, Khan M A, Sarfraz M
National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol. 2020 Nov 25;2020:8869472. doi: 10.1155/2020/8869472. eCollection 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unprecedented strain on healthcare supplies. Currently there is a global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), especially N95 masks. In order to safeguard healthcare personnel in this critical time and to mitigate shortages of N95 respirators, reuse of N95 respirators has to be considered.
Using PubMed and Science Direct, a literature search was conducted to find and synthesize relevant literature on decontamination of N95 respirators for their subsequent reuse. Peer-reviewed publications related to methods of decontamination from January 2007 to April 2020 in the English language are included in this narrative review. Bibliographies of articles for relevant literature were also scrutinized. . A total of 19 studies are included in this narrative review. The appraised methods include ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI), moist heat incubation (MHI), ethylene oxide (EtO), hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV), microwave steam bags (MSB), microwave-generated steam (MGS), dry microwave oven irradiation, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma (HPGP), dry heat, liquid hydrogen peroxide, and bleach and alcohol.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, reuse of N95 respirators, although suboptimal, can be considered. Evidence reveals that UVGI, MHI, and HPV are amongst the safest and efficacious methods for decontamination of N95 masks. More research is needed to establish the safety and effectiveness of MGS, MSB, dry heat, EtO, liquid hydrogen peroxide, and HPGP. Alcohol, microwave irradiation, and bleach are not recommended because they damage N95 respirators.
新冠疫情给医疗物资带来了前所未有的压力。目前全球个人防护装备（PPE）短缺，尤其是N95口罩。为了在这一关键时期保护医护人员并缓解N95呼吸器的短缺，必须考虑重复使用N95呼吸器。
利用PubMed和ScienceDirect进行文献检索，以查找和综合有关N95呼吸器去污以便后续重复使用的相关文献。本叙述性综述纳入了2007年1月至2020年4月以英文发表的与去污方法相关的同行评审出版物。还对相关文献的文章参考文献进行了审查。本叙述性综述共纳入19项研究。评估的方法包括紫外线杀菌照射（UVGI）、湿热孵育（MHI）、环氧乙烷（EtO）、过氧化氢蒸汽（HPV）、微波蒸汽袋（MSB）、微波产生的蒸汽（MGS）、干微波炉照射、过氧化氢气体等离子体（HPGP）、干热、液态过氧化氢以及漂白剂和酒精。
鉴于新冠疫情，尽管并非最佳选择，但可以考虑重复使用N95呼吸器。证据表明，紫外线杀菌照射、湿热孵育和过氧化氢蒸汽是N95口罩去污最安全有效的方法之一。需要更多研究来确定微波产生的蒸汽、微波蒸汽袋、干热、环氧乙烷、液态过氧化氢和过氧化氢气体等离子体的安全性和有效性。不建议使用酒精、微波照射和漂白剂。因为它们会损坏N95呼吸器。
