A bright future: The use of Far UV as a disinfectant in the livestock industry—Feasibility studies in the dairy and poultry sectors

农场动物的健康和福利被描述为英国农业政策未来讨论的优先问题。牲畜疾病对环境、动物福利、公共卫生和经济构成威胁。目前，只有为数不多的几种防治牲畜传染病的措施取得了成功，因此需要更有效的控制措施。紫外线（UVC）光消毒系统因其在消除病原体方面的有效性而已使用多年，但由于对皮肤和眼睛的潜在损害，以前不适合直接暴露于人类和动物。远紫外线技术在222 nm波长下工作，不会到达表皮中的活细胞，因此不会造成负面影响，但仍能有效消除病原体。远紫外线目前用于非农业环境中的公共场所消毒，并已显示出对各种病毒和细菌的有效性，包括人类冠状病毒，大肠杆菌0157，流感病毒，耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌并已被证明可以减少暴露后的总细菌数量。远紫外线在英国还没有正式在活体动物农业中进行试验，因此，这是一个独特的机会，可以研究其在牲畜疾病控制中的可能用途。可行性研究的重点将是奶制品和肉鸡家禽部门，以代表地方病和流行病导致重大经济损失的反刍动物和单胃动物行业，家禽研究的重点将是进入谷仓的大厅。为了评估是否可以减少疾病传播到谷仓，将部署远紫外线设备，并在远紫外线照射前后采集环境拭子样本。我们还将试用远紫外线棒对鞋类进行消毒。在奶牛场环境中，我们将重点关注小牛舍的消毒潜力。远紫外线的功效将通过测量微生物计数来评估，微生物计数也可用作抗病毒功效的替代指标：最近的研究表明，病毒对灭活比细菌更敏感，并且可以在比本研究中使用的远紫外线剂量低得多的剂量下被消除。研究提供了一个独特的机会，开发创新的远紫外线消毒方法有效地对抗一系列病原体，包括多重耐药细菌，并可能成为未来更有效的疾病控制计划的一部分。

Farm animal health and welfare has been described as a priority issue in discussions about the future of agricultural policy in the UK. Livestock diseases pose threats to the environment, animal welfare, public health and the economy. Only a limited number of measures developed to combat infectious disease in livestock have been successful and there is a need for more effective control measures.Ultraviolet (UVC) light disinfection systems have been used for many years, due to their efficacy in eliminating pathogens, but were previously unsuitable for direct exposure to humans and animals due to potential damage to the skin and eyes. Far UV technology operates at 222nm wavelength and does not reach live cells in the epidermis, hence does not cause negative effects, yet retains effectiveness in eliminating pathogens. Far UV is currently used in non-agricultural settings to disinfect public spaces and has shown efficacy against a wide range of viruses and bacteria including human coronaviruses, _Escherichia coli 0157_, Influenza viruses, Methicillin-resistant _Staphylococcus aureus_ and has been proven to reduce the overall bacterial count following exposure.Far UV has not been formally trialled in live animal agriculture in the UK and therefore presents a unique opportunity to investigate its possible uses in livestock disease control. Feasibility studies will focus on the dairy and broiler poultry sectors to represent ruminant and monogastric industries where endemic and epidemic diseases lead to major financial losses.The poultry study will focus on the lobbies from which barns are accessed. To assess whether disease transmission into barns can be reduced, Far UV devices will be deployed and environmental swab samples will be taken before and after Far UV exposure. We will also trial Far UV wands to disinfect footwear.In the dairy setting we will focus on calf housing disinfection potential.The efficacy of Far UV will be assessed by measuring microbial counts that also can be used as a proxy for efficacy against viruses: Recent research shows that viruses are more sensitive to deactivation than bacteria and can be eliminated at much lower doses of Far UV than what will be used in this study.This research presents a unique opportunity to develop innovative Far UV based disinfection methods effective against a range of pathogens, including multidrug resistant bacteria, and could form part of more effective disease control programs in the future.