Decontamination with vaporized hydrogen peroxide is effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

AIMS: To determine the efficacy of room fumigation with vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) in decontamination of viable Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

METHODS AND RESULTS: About 8 x 10(4)-2.3 x 10(6) CFU of M. tuberculosis H37Rv and M. tuberculosis Beijing were dried in 10-microl drops in tissue culture plates, placed in steam-permeable Tyvek pouches and distributed on laboratory surfaces. The room was exposed to VHP delivered by air conditioning. Different exposure conditions were tested. Exposure to VHP resulted in sterilization of the bacterial samples in three different test runs.

CONCLUSIONS: VHP treatment is an effective means of reducing and eliminating room contaminations of M. tuberculosis.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Fumigation with VHP represents an alternative to formaldehyde fumigation, particularly for decontamination of animal rooms in tuberculosis research laboratories.