skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Ultraviolet radiation as disinfection for fish surgical tools

Abstract

Telemetry is frequently used to examine the behavior of fish, and the transmitters used are normally surgically implanted into the coelomic cavity of fish. Implantation requires the use of surgical tools such as scalpels, forceps, needle holders, and sutures. When fish are implanted consecutively, as in large telemetry studies, it is common for surgical tools to be sterilized or, at minimum, disinfected between each use so that pathogens that may be present are not spread among fish. To determine the efficacy for this application, ultraviolet (UV) radiation was used to disinfect surgical tools exposed to one of four aquatic organisms that typically lead to negative health issues for salmonids. These organisms included Aeromonas salmonicida, Flavobacterium psychrophilum, Renibacterium salmoninarum, and Saprolegnia parasitica, causative agents of furunculosis, coldwater disease, bacterial kidney disease, and saprolegniasis (water mold), respectively. Four experiments were conducted to address the question of UV efficacy. In the first experiment, forceps were exposed to the three bacteria at three varying concentrations. After exposure to the bacterial culture, tools were placed into a mobile Millipore UV sterilization apparatus. The tools were then exposed for three different time periods – 2, 5, or 15 min. UV radiation exposures at all durations weremore » effective at killing all three bacteria on forceps at the highest bacteria concentrations. In the second experiment, stab scalpels, sutures, and needle holders were exposed to A. salmonicida using the same methodology as used in Experiment 1. UV radiation exposure at 5 and 15 min was effective at killing A. salmonicida on stab scalpels and sutures but not needle holders. In the third experiment, S. parasitica, a water mold, was tested using an agar plate method and forceps-pinch method. UV radiation was effective at killing the water mold at all three exposure durations. Collectively, this study shows that UV radiation appears to provide a quick alternative disinfection technique to chemical disinfectants (e.g., ethanol) for some surgical tools. However, we do not recommend using this method for tools such as needle holders having overlapping parts or other structures that cannot be exposed directly to UV radiation« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1073576
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-86919
400403209
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Animal Biotelemetry, 1:Article No. 4
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Animal Biotelemetry, 1:Article No. 4
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
UV light, sterilization, fish surgery, disinfection,

Citation Formats

Walker, Ricardo W, Markillie, Lye Meng, Colotelo, Alison HA, Geist, David R, Gay, Marybeth E, Woodley, Christa M, Eppard, M B, and Brown, Richard S. Ultraviolet radiation as disinfection for fish surgical tools. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1186/2050-3385-1-4.
Walker, Ricardo W, Markillie, Lye Meng, Colotelo, Alison HA, Geist, David R, Gay, Marybeth E, Woodley, Christa M, Eppard, M B, & Brown, Richard S. Ultraviolet radiation as disinfection for fish surgical tools. United States. https://doi.org/10.1186/2050-3385-1-4
Walker, Ricardo W, Markillie, Lye Meng, Colotelo, Alison HA, Geist, David R, Gay, Marybeth E, Woodley, Christa M, Eppard, M B, and Brown, Richard S. 2013. "Ultraviolet radiation as disinfection for fish surgical tools". United States. https://doi.org/10.1186/2050-3385-1-4.
@article{osti_1073576,
title = {Ultraviolet radiation as disinfection for fish surgical tools},
author = {Walker, Ricardo W and Markillie, Lye Meng and Colotelo, Alison HA and Geist, David R and Gay, Marybeth E and Woodley, Christa M and Eppard, M B and Brown, Richard S},
abstractNote = {Telemetry is frequently used to examine the behavior of fish, and the transmitters used are normally surgically implanted into the coelomic cavity of fish. Implantation requires the use of surgical tools such as scalpels, forceps, needle holders, and sutures. When fish are implanted consecutively, as in large telemetry studies, it is common for surgical tools to be sterilized or, at minimum, disinfected between each use so that pathogens that may be present are not spread among fish. To determine the efficacy for this application, ultraviolet (UV) radiation was used to disinfect surgical tools exposed to one of four aquatic organisms that typically lead to negative health issues for salmonids. These organisms included Aeromonas salmonicida, Flavobacterium psychrophilum, Renibacterium salmoninarum, and Saprolegnia parasitica, causative agents of furunculosis, coldwater disease, bacterial kidney disease, and saprolegniasis (water mold), respectively. Four experiments were conducted to address the question of UV efficacy. In the first experiment, forceps were exposed to the three bacteria at three varying concentrations. After exposure to the bacterial culture, tools were placed into a mobile Millipore UV sterilization apparatus. The tools were then exposed for three different time periods – 2, 5, or 15 min. UV radiation exposures at all durations were effective at killing all three bacteria on forceps at the highest bacteria concentrations. In the second experiment, stab scalpels, sutures, and needle holders were exposed to A. salmonicida using the same methodology as used in Experiment 1. UV radiation exposure at 5 and 15 min was effective at killing A. salmonicida on stab scalpels and sutures but not needle holders. In the third experiment, S. parasitica, a water mold, was tested using an agar plate method and forceps-pinch method. UV radiation was effective at killing the water mold at all three exposure durations. Collectively, this study shows that UV radiation appears to provide a quick alternative disinfection technique to chemical disinfectants (e.g., ethanol) for some surgical tools. However, we do not recommend using this method for tools such as needle holders having overlapping parts or other structures that cannot be exposed directly to UV radiation},
doi = {10.1186/2050-3385-1-4},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1073576}, journal = {Animal Biotelemetry, 1:Article No. 4},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Apr 04 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Thu Apr 04 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}