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

在有关英国农业政策未来的讨论中，农场动物的健康和福利一直被描述为优先事项。家畜疾病对环境、动物福利、公共卫生和经济构成威胁。只有为数不多的对抗牲畜传染病的措施取得了成功，需要更有效的控制措施。由于紫外线(UVC)光消毒系统在消除病原体方面的有效性，已经使用了多年，但以前由于对皮肤和眼睛的潜在损害，不适合直接接触人类和动物。远紫外线技术工作在222 nm波长，不会到达表皮的活细胞，因此不会造成负面影响，但仍能有效地消除病原体。Far UV目前用于非农业环境中的公共场所消毒，已显示出对多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细菌总数。Far UV尚未在英国的活体动物农业中正式试验，因此提供了一个独特的机会来研究其在家畜疾病控制中的可能用途。可行性研究将集中在奶制品和肉鸡家禽行业，以代表地方性和流行性疾病导致重大经济损失的反刍动物和单胃行业。家禽研究将集中于进入谷仓的大堂。为了评估是否可以减少疾病向谷仓的传播，将部署远紫外线设备，并在远紫外线暴露前后采集环境拭子样本。我们还将试验远紫外线棒对脚部进行消毒。在乳品环境中，我们将重点关注牛舍的消毒潜力。远紫外线的有效性将通过测量微生物数量来评估，微生物计数也可以作为对抗病毒效果的替代：最近的研究表明，病毒比细菌对灭活更敏感，而且远低于本研究将使用的剂量就可以消除病毒。这项研究提供了一个独特的机会来开发创新的基于远紫外线的消毒方法，对包括多重抗药性细菌在内的一系列病原体有效，并可能在未来形成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.