What Types of Viruses, Bacteria, and Organisms Does Ultraviolet-C (UVC) Disinfect?
What kinds of Viruses Will UVC Light Disinfect?
What kinds of Pathogens Will UVC Light Disinfect?
What kinds of Germs Will UVC Light Kill?
Related Questions:
THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE LIST
One of the most common questions our team receives is which pathogens our technology will inactivate. The practical answer is, “All of them. If it has DNA or RNA, the UVC irradiation can and will inactivate the organism.” Still, there is a lot of research behind this technology, and the technical answer to that question includes a long list of germs, pathogens, viruses, and microorganisms that UVC technology can treat in your home, office, or vehicle.
This is a list of organisms, pathogens, viruses, and germs that UVC technology has been clinically tested and proven to disinfect. We focus on the more common viruses, bacteria, and molds in healthcare, corrections facilities, business offices, and educational institutions. Still, you can see the expanded list at the bottom of this post!
Common Pathogens That Germicidal UVC Will Disinfect.
C-Diff
(Clostridium Difficile)
Bacteria that can cause diarrhea and an inflamed colon, but is most common for the elderly in hospitals and long-term care.
Hepatitis
(HAV/HBV/HCV)
The common description for hepatitis is a swelling of the liver. It can cause liver damage and impacts your body’s ability to process nutrients in food.
Staph Infection
(MRSA)
A very common bacteria that even healthy individuals carry, but can become fatal if it gets deeper into the body such as the blood stream.
Meningitis
(Meningococcus)
Inflamed fluids around the brain and spinal cord that can lead to headache, fever, stiff neck, and even death. It often looks like the Flu.
HIV
(Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
HIV causes AIDS and interferes with the body's ability to fight infections. Within a few weeks of HIV infection, flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and fatigue can occur.
TB
(Pulmonary Tuberculosis)
A bacteria that impacts the lungs, leading to coughing or sneezing. In more severe cases, infected persons have a fever and night sweats.
Lice
(Pediculus Humanus Corporis)
Parasite most commonly found on hair-covered parts of the body, sustain themselves on consuming blood and transfers easily between persons.
Bed Bugs
(Cimex Lectularius)
Bed bugs often transfer from furniture to persons who are bitten as the insects feed on their blood. Effects can include rashes and allergic reactions.
DID YOU SEE A MICROORGANISM ON THE LIST THAT YOU WANT TO KEEP OUT OF YOUR FACILITY?
GO AHEAD AND REQUEST A QUOTE TO START PROTECTING YOUR ENVIRONMENT.
**Contact us for other pathogens not listed in this section.
COVID
(SARS-CoV-2)
The COVID-19 disease is highly contagious and has a much higher fatality rate than other viruses we are accustomed to, such as the flu.
Flu
(Influenza)
The flu - our seasonal nemesis full of high temperatures, body aches, and stomaches that never seem to sit right. Get rid of it with UVC disinfection.
Common Cold
(viral rhinitis)
Runny noses, coughs, and that constant feeling that you could just lay down and take a nap at any time. The cold has met its match with UVC light.
Strep Throat
(Streptococcus)
No one can forget they sense of hesitation before each gulp when they had strep throat. Keep your loved ones safe from this terrible virus.
Hand, Foot, & Mouth
(Coxsackievirus)
When your child contracts this disease it is terrible. It’s nearly impossible to sooth them. Prevent them from getting it with UVC treatments.
Rotavirus
(Gastroenteritis)
A terrible virus causing severe diarrhea and vomiting - sometime leading to dehydration and mostly found in infants or children.
Mold Spores
(Stachybotrys Chartarum)
You’ve seen it before, but did you know that Mold can cause allergic reactions, respiratory issues, and prolonged exposure can impact the brain.
Salmonella
(Enterica)
The most common cause of food borne illness, Salmonella is a bacteria that can lead to upset stomach, diarrhea, fever, and pain and cramping.
You Need UVC Disinfection Technology
No doubt about it, there are everpresent threats to our health in our daily routines and environments, but EnviroWell Health can help you optimize your environments for wellness. Get in touch with our team by requesting a quote today.
TRUST THE EXPERTS
Each of EnviroWell Health products is manufactured by our team or hand-selected to ensure quality and serviceability.
A Deeper Look at the UVC Disinfection Data
For those of you who just needed to see an exhaustive list of the microorganisms that UVC light can treat. Refer to the footnotes to dive deeper into the research behind this table.
| Reduction Levels | Host | 90% | 99% | 99.9% | 99.99% | 99.999% | 99.9999% | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spore | ||||||||
| Bacillus anthracis spores – Anthrax spores | N/A | 24.32 | 48.64 | 72.96 | 97.28 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Bacillus magaterium sp. spores | N/A | 2.73 | 5.46 | 8.19 | 10.92 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Bacillus subtilis ATCC6633(spores | N/A | 36 | 48.6 | 61 | 78 | Chang et al. 1985 | ||
| Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) spores | N/A | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Bacterium | ||||||||
| Aeromonas salmonicida | N/A | 1.5 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 5.9 | Liltved and Landfald 1996 | ||
| Aeromonas hydrophila ATCC7966 | N/A | 1.1 | 2.6 | 3.9 | 5 | 6.7 | 8.6 | Wilson et al. 1992 |
| Bacillus anthracis – Anthrax | N/A | 4.52 | 9.04 | 13.56 | 18.08 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Bacillus magaterium sp. (veg.) | N/A | 1.3 | 2.6 | 3.9 | 5.2 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Bacillus paratyphusus | N/A | 3.2 | 6.4 | 9.6 | 12.8 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Bacillus subtilis | N/A | 5.8 | 11.6 | 17.4 | 23.2 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Campylobacter jejuni ATCC 43429 | N/A | 1.6 | 3.4 | 4 | 4.6 | 5.9 | Wilson et al. 1992 | |
| Citrobacter diversus | N/A | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11.5 | 13 | Giese and Darby 2000 | |
| Citrobacter freundii | N/A | 5 | 9 | 13 | Giese and Darby 2000 | |||
| Clostridium tetani | N/A | 13 | 22 | Light Sources Inc. 2014 | ||||
| Corynebacterium diphtheriae | N/A | 3.37 | 6.74 | 10.11 | 13.48 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Ebertelia typhosa | N/A | 2.14 | 4.28 | 6.42 | 8.56 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Escherichia coli O157:H7 CCUG 29193 | N/A | 3.5 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 7 | Sommer et al. 2000 | ||
| Escherichia coli O157:H7 | N/A | <2 | <2 | 2.5 | 4 | 8 | 17 | Yaun et al. 2003 |
| Halobacterium elongate ATCC33173 | N/A | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1 | Martin et al. 2000 | |||
| Halobacterium salinarum ATCC43214 | N/A | 12 | 15 | 17.5 | 20 | Martin et al. 2000 | ||
| Klebsiella pneumoniae | N/A | 12 | 15 | 17.5 | 20 | Giese and Darby 2000 | ||
| Klebsiella terrigena ATCC33257 | N/A | 4.6 | 6.7 | 8.9 | 11 | Wilson et al. 1992 | ||
| Legionella pneumophila ATCC33152 | N/A | 1.9 | 3.8 | 5.8 | 7.7 | 9.6 | Oguma et al.2004 | |
| Leptospiracanicola – infectious Jaundice | N/A | 3.15 | 6.3 | 9.45 | 12.6 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Microccocus candidus | N/A | 6.05 | 12.1 | 18.15 | 24.2 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Microccocus sphaeroides | N/A | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Mycobacterium tuberculosis | N/A | 6.2 | 12.4 | 18.6 | 24.8 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| MRSA | N/A | 3.2 | 6.4 | 9.6 | 12.8 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Neisseria catarrhalis | N/A | 4.4 | 8.8 | 13.2 | 17.6 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Phytomonas tumefaciens | N/A | 4.4 | 8.8 | 13.2 | 17.6 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Proteus vulgaris | N/A | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Pseudomonas stutzeri | N/A | 100 | 150 | 195 | 230 | Joux et al. 1999 | ||
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | N/A | 5.5 | 11 | 16.5 | 22 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Pseudomonas fluorescens | N/A | 3.5 | 7 | 10.5 | 14 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Salmonella anatum (from human feces) | N/A | 7.5 | 12 | 15 | Tosa and Hirata 1998 | |||
| Salmonella derby (from human feces) | N/A | 3.5 | 7.5 | Tosa and Hirata 1998 | ||||
| Salmonella enteritidis | N/A | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Salmonella infantis (from human feces) | N/A | 2 | 4 | 6 | Tosa and Hirata 1998 | |||
| Salmonela paratyphi – Enteric fever | N/A | 3.2 | 6.4 | 9.6 | 12.8 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Salmonella typhosa – Typhoid fever | N/A | 2.15 | 4.3 | 6.45 | 8.6 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Bacteria | ||||||||
| Salmonella typhimurium | N/A | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Sarcina lutea | N/A | 19.7 | 39.4 | 59.1 | 78.8 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Serratia marcescens | N/A | 2.42 | 4.84 | 7.26 | 9.68 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Shigella dyseteriae – Dysentery | N/A | 2.2 | 4.4 | 6.6 | 8.8 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Shigella flexneri – Dysentery | N/A | 1.7 | 3.4 | 5.1 | 6.8 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Shigella paradysenteriae | N/A | 1.68 | 3.3 | 5.04 | 6.72 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Shigella sonnei ATCC9290 | N/A | 3.2 | 4.9 | 6.5 | 8.2 | Chang et al. 1985 | ||
| Spirillum rubrum | N/A | 4.4 | 8.8 | 13.2 | 17.6 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Staphylococcus albus | N/A | 1.84 | 3.68 | 5.52 | 7.36 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Staphylococcus aureus | N/A | 2.6 | 5.2 | 7.8 | 10.4 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Staphylococcus hemolyticus | N/A | 2.16 | 4.32 | 6.48 | 8.64 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Staphylococcus lactis | N/A | 6.15 | 12.3 | 18.45 | 24.6 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Streptococcus faecalis ATCC29212 | N/A | 6.6 | 8.8 | 9.9 | 11.2 | Chang et al. 1985 | ||
| Streptococcus viridans | N/A | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Vibrio anguillarum | N/A | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 2 | Liltved and Landfald 1996 | ||
| Vibrio comma – Cholera | N/A | 3.375 | 6.75 | 10.125 | 13.5 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Vibrio natriegens | N/A | 37.5 | 75 | 100 | 130 | 150 | Joux et al. 1999 | |
| Yersinia enterocolitica ATCC27729 | N/A | 1.7 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 4.6 | Wilson et al. 1992 | ||
| Yersinia ruckeri | N/A | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | Liltved and Landfald 1996 | ||
| Yeasts | ||||||||
| Brewers yeast | N/A | 3.3 | 6.6 | 9.9 | 13.2 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Common yeast cake | N/A | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Saccharomyces carevisiae | N/A | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Saccharomyces ellipsoideus | N/A | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Saccharomyces spores | N/A | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Molds | ||||||||
| Aspergillius flavus | N/A | 60 | 120 | 180 | 240 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Aspergillius glaucus | N/A | 44 | 88 | 132 | 176 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Aspergillius niger | N/A | 132 | 264 | 396 | 528 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Mucor racemosus A | N/A | 17 | 34 | 51 | 68 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Mucor racemosus B | N/A | 17 | 34 | 51 | 68 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Oospora lactis | N/A | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Penicillium digitatum | N/A | 44 | 88 | 132 | 176 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Penicillium expansum | N/A | 13 | 26 | 39 | 52 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Penicillium roqueforti | N/A | 13 | 26 | 39 | 52 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Rhisopus nigricans | N/A | 111 | 222 | 333 | 444 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Protozoan | ||||||||
| Chlorella Vulgaris | N/A | 13 | 26 | 39 | 52 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Cryptosporidium hominis | N/A | 3 | 5.8 | Johnson et al. 2005 | ||||
| Cryptosporidium parvum | N/A | 2.4 | <5 | 5.2 | 9.5 | Craik et al. 2001 | ||
| Cryptosporidium parvum, oocysts, tissue culture assay | N/A | 1.3 | 2.3 | 3.2 | Shin et al. 2000 | |||
| Encephalitozoon cuniculi,microsporidia | N/A | 4 | 9 | 13 | Marshall et al. 2003 | |||
| Encephalitozoon hellem,microsporidia | N/A | 8 | 12 | 18 | Marshall et al. 2003 | |||
| Encephalitozoon intestinalis,microsporidia | N/A | <3 | 3 | <6 | 6 | Huffman et al. 2002 | ||
| Giardia lamblia | N/A | <10 | ~10 | <20 | Campbell et al. 2002 | |||
| Giardia muris | N/A | <10 | <10 | <25 | ~60 | Belosevic et al. 2001 | ||
| Nematode Eggs | N/A | 45 | 90 | 135 | 180 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Paramecium | N/A | 11 | 22 | 33 | 44 | UV-Light.co.UK | ||
| Virus | ||||||||
| Adenovirus type 15 | A549 cell line (ATCC CCL- | 40 | 80 | 122 | 165 | 210 | Thompson et al. 2003 | |
| Adenovirus type 2 | PLC / PRF / 5 | 40 | 78 | 119 | 160 | 195 | 235 | Gerba et al. 2002 |
| B40-8 (Phage) | B. Fragilis | 11 | 17 | 23 | 29 | 35 | 41 | Sommer et al. 2001 |
| Bacteriophage – E. Coli | 2.6 | 5.2 | 7.8 | 104 | UV-Light.co.UK | |||
| Calicivirus canine | MDCK cell line | 7 | 15 | 22 | 30 | 36 | Husman et al. 2004 | |
| Calicivirus feline | CRFK cell line | 5 | 15 | 23 | 30 | 39 | Thurston-Enriquez et al. 2003 | |
| Coxsackievirus B3 | BGM cell line | 8 | 16 | 24.5 | 32.5 | Gerba et al. 2002 | ||
| Coxsackievirus B5 | BGM cell line | 9.5 | 18 | 27 | 36 | Gerba et al. 2002 | ||
| Echovirus I | BGM cell line | 8 | 16.5 | 25 | 33 | Gerba et al. 2002 | ||
| Echovirus II | BGM cell line | 7 | 14 | 20.5 | 28 | Gerba et al. 2002 | ||
| Hepatitis A HM175 | FRhK-4 cell | 5.1 | 13.7 | 22 | 29.6 | Wilson et al. 1992 | ||
| Infectious Hepatitis | 5.8 | 11.6 | 17.4 | 232 | UV-Light.co.UK | |||
| Influenza | 3.4 | 6.8 | 10.2 | 136 | UV-Light.co.UK | |||
| MS2 (Phage) | E. coli | 45 | 75 | 100 | 125 | 155 | Thompson et al. 2003 | |
| Norovirus | 10 | 16 | 22 | 26 | 30 | Lee et al. 2008 | ||
| Parvovirus | 2.2 | 4.6 | Cornelis et al. 1982 | |||||
| PHI X 174 (Phage) | E. coli WG 5 | 3 | 5 | 7.5 | 10 | 12.5 | 15 | Sommer et al. 2001 |
| Poliovirus – Poliomyelitis | 3.15 | 6.3 | 9.45 | 126 | UV-Light.co.UK | |||
| Poliovirus 1 | CaCo2 cell-line (ATCC HTB37) | 7 | 17 | 28 | 37 | Thompson et al. 2003 | ||
| PRD-1 (Phage) | S. typhimurium | 9.9 | 17.2 | 23.5 | 30.1 | Meng and Gerba 1996 | ||
| Reovirus Type 1 Lang strain | N/A | 16 | 36 | Harris et al. 1987 | ||||
| Reovirus-3 | Mouse L-60 | 11.2 | 22.4 | Rauth 1965 | ||||
| Rotavirus | MA104 cells | 20 | 80 | 140 | 200 | Caballero et al. 2004 | ||
| Rotavirus SA-11 | MA-104 cell | 9.1 | 19 | 26 | 36 | 48 | Wilson et al. 1992 | |
| SARS-CoV-2 | N/A | 5 | 22 | Boston University. 2020 | ||||
| Staphylococcus aureus phage A | Staphylococcus aureus 994 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 36 | 47 | Sommer et al. 1989 | |
| Tobacco mosaic | N/A | 240 | 440 | Light Sources Inc. 2014 |
| The data provided in this table was produced by Clordisys. Their report can be found here. |