Continuous Air Disinfection for Long-Term Care

McKnight's Long-Term Care News: Continuous air disinfection reduced respiratory symptoms among older residents, study finds.

In the News

"Continuous air disinfection reduced respiratory symptoms among older residents, study finds."

The first study of its kind to provide prospective clinical evidence that continuous active air purification can meaningfully reduce respiratory infection burden in a geriatric care setting.

On April 1, 2026, McKnight's Long-Term Care News, the daily outlet that sits on the desks of LTC operators, administrators, medical directors, and DONs across the country, published its own coverage of the study, summarizing the core finding plainly.

Read the article on McKnight’s

Why It Matters to Operators

It reflects how care actually happens

The intervention didn't require anyone to do anything differently. No staff compliance. No scheduled downtime. No vacating rooms. In a sector where workforce burden is the rate-limiting constraint, an unattended environmental control that works in the background is operationally different from almost every other tool on the table.

It complements, not replaces, existing prevention

The authors are explicit: continuous air disinfection "may complement infection prevention bundles and mitigate respiratory infectious burden during seasonal surges." This isn't a pitch to throw out hand hygiene, vaccination, or isolation protocols, it's a 24/7 environmental layer underneath all of them.

It was studied on the population that needs it most

Frail older adults in continuous-nursing-care environments are the patients most vulnerable to respiratory and viral infection, most likely to be hospitalized from one, and most likely to experience lasting functional decline afterward. The evidence base in this exact population has been thin. That's no longer the case.

The ROI Framework

What a 48% infection reduction could be worth to your facility.

A large U.S. cohort study published in JAMA Network Open, examining influenza- and RSV-attributable hospitalizations among 2.9 million long-term care residents, found total hospitalization costs of $91.1 million across 10,939 events, equivalent to an average direct cost of approximately $8,324 per respiratory hospitalization. This figure reflects direct hospitalization costs only and excludes indirect operational costs such as staffing disruption, isolation protocols, occupancy pressure, and admissions slowdown.

Applied to the infection reduction observed in the JAMDA study (~48% reduction in suspected respiratory and viral infections), the potential direct annual cost avoidance is substantial:

Facility size	Estimated infections prevented / year	Direct cost avoidance (@ ~$8,324 per event)
60 beds	~54	~$450,000
120 beds	~108	~$899,000
250 beds	~225	~$1.87M
1,000-bed operator	~900	~$7.49M

Note: These figures should be viewed as conservative because they capture only direct medical costs associated with serious respiratory infection events requiring hospitalization. They do not include secondary financial impacts commonly experienced during outbreaks, including agency staffing premiums, overtime, temporary admissions freezes, occupancy depression, family concerns, and quality-based reimbursement penalties.

Actual cost avoidance will vary based on resident acuity, hospitalization rates, regional reimbursement dynamics, existing infection-control infrastructure, and deployment scope.

Talk to a specialist

Proven Customer Outcomes

Removing odors in a senior living facility.

Athenian Living, an assisted living community, faced the problem of periodic smells around the building, which could cause a negative opinion of the facility. They used Pyure products to remove the unpleasant odors and helped with infection control during a COVID-19 outbreak.

Pyure proved effective, and the facility believes it fulfills its intended purpose of providing tenants and guests with a more pleasant and safe environment.

Lisa McCord, Owner, Athenian Living

Case studies.

Geriatric hospital+

Problem

A geriatric hospital had a population of elderly patients at increased risk of infection in an isolation ward. Many had compromised respiratory systems and/or sores on their skin. The hospital was looking for additional ways to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission by treating the air and surfaces.

Pyure impact

A Pyure solution was introduced into the isolation ward. Swabs of patient skin were taken before the activation of Pyure and again after it had been operating for two weeks. The hospital recorded a reduction in microbial counts in over half of the patients swabbed.

Customer benefit

The reduction in microorganisms detected in patients following Pyure air treatment was considered a meaningful reduction and potential mitigator of transmission risk. The hospital is now equipping an entire wing with Pyure-controlled solutions in the air-handling system to assess the long-term impact on respiratory infections, skin lesions, and other clinical endpoints.

Hospital infectious disease ward+

Problem

The infectious diseases ward of a teaching hospital had elevated airborne pathogen levels in patient recovery rooms. In the two weeks before initiating Pyure treatment, CFU levels for total microbes were approximately 1,000, spiking to 9,800 during an afternoon with several visitors. The hospital’s goal was to reduce airborne total microbial CFU levels to below 200.

Pyure impact

Following treatment with Pyure, the hospital measured a statistically significant reduction of airborne pathogen load (p-value of 0.011). Levels dropped below 200 within a few hours of treatment and continued to decline to 40 CFUs after 15 days.

Customer benefit

The hospital quickly reduced airborne microbial levels below its 200 CFU target and maintained levels below the target throughout the study. The expectation is that these reduced airborne pathogen levels over an extended period will reduce the risk of pathogen transmission for patients in the infectious disease ward.

About Pyure

Purify the air and surfaces to protect residents and staff.

Pyure technology generates hydroxyl radicals the same oxidizing chemistry the atmosphere uses to clean itself through a proprietary UV-light and ambient-moisture process. Hydroxyls react with VOCs, bacteria, viruses, mold, and yeast in air and on surfaces, then degrade back into water and oxygen. No chemical residue. No ozone at treatment concentration. Safe for continuous operation in occupied space.

Safe for occupied spaces

Our technology can be safely used 24/7 in occupied spaces. There is no need to leave the room or turn the system off, offering patients and staff dynamic protection, around the clock.

Kills airborne and surface pathogens

Our products have the proven ability to kill over 99.99% of aerosolized viruses, bacteria, and mold within two hours, and also kill these pathogens on hard surfaces.

Scalable solutions

Treat a single room with a portable unit, or treat an entire facility with a centralized custom solution that is integrated into the HVAC system.

Safety & Efficacy

Safe and natural protection.

Pyure Technology produces the same concentrations of hydroxyls and organic oxidants that are naturally present in our outdoor environment.

Safety dimension	What it means	Supporting evidence
Safe Concentrations	Pyure devices are engineered to produce safe levels of total oxidants when operating guidelines are followed.	Oxidant output kept within safe levels when operating guidelines are followed.
Scientific Literature	No evidence in the scientific literature of any safety issues with atmospheric hydroxyls and organic oxidants at these naturally occurring concentrations.	No adverse evidence in existing databases. NIHCDCFDAOSHA
Independent Toxicity Study	An independent lab undertook a 13-week GLP toxicology study that showed no adverse effects.	13-week study24/7 continuous exposure3× higher exposure levelNo effect on exposed rats

Pyure takes care of these issues

Odor elimination

Pleasant living conditions
Increased employee satisfaction
Improved visitor experience

Viral transmission

Reduced transmission (influenza, respiratory infections)
Employee absenteeism due to sickness
Employee reluctance to return to work

Bacterial reduction

Infection risks (UTI, skin)
Surgical site infections
Wound care

Allergen control

Mold spores are reduced
Less allergic reactions
Protection for compromised immune systems

Talk to a specialist

Air Purifiers for Senior Centers

A solution for every space.

MDU/Rx™

Our FDA-registered Class II medical device, indicated for the reduction of bacteria and the MS2, Phi-X174, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses in air in medical facilities.

Treatment area: 130–500 sq ft
Minimum area (no air circulation): 160 sq ft

Pyure Mini® Purifier

Compact, modern, and quiet, ideal for cleaning and deodorizing air in offices, waiting rooms, and other small spaces.

Treatment area: up to 500 sq ft

Pyure IDU™ Purifier

A duct-mounted purifier that is easy to install and requires only an electrical connection to operate.

Treatment area: 2,000 sq ft (model dependent)

Odorox® Slimline™ Purifier

A rugged, durable portable unit suited to public and commercial spaces.

Treatment area: up to 900–1,500 sq ft

Odorox® Boss™ Purifier

Built for tough environments and high-traffic, high-contact areas.

Treatment area: up to 2,500 sq ft

Odorox® Boss XL3™ Purifier

Adds an external fan for greater air movement, ideal for spaces affected by smoke, flooding, and other pollutants.

Treatment area: up to 3,250 sq ft

Talk to a specialist

Twenty years of hydroxyl engineering. Deployed in 30+ countries.

The Pyure Company develops advanced hydroxyl-based air and surface purification technologies designed to improve indoor environmental quality across food and beverage, healthcare, industrial, and commercial settings. Pyure has extensive scientific evidence demonstrating the reduction of viruses, bacteria, mold, pathogens, and VOCs in the air and on the surfaces of treated spaces.

Pyure has over 20 years of experience in air and surface purification technology, with production in the United States and recognized regulatory credentials, including ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 9001:2015 certification for its manufacturing facility. Rockwell Automation Gold OEM partner.

Pyure device installed on facility ductwork

Cleaner air.
Clinical proof.
Real outcomes.

Why It Matters to Operators

It reflects how care actually happens

It complements, not replaces, existing prevention

It was studied on the population that needs it most

What a 48% infection reduction could be worth to your facility.

Removing odors in a senior living facility.

Case studies.

Problem

Pyure impact

Customer benefit

Problem

Pyure impact

Customer benefit

Purify the air and surfaces to protect residents and staff.

Safe for occupied spaces

Kills airborne and surface pathogens

Scalable solutions

Safe and natural protection.

Pyure takes care of these issues

Odor elimination

Viral transmission

Bacterial reduction

Allergen control

Built for every senior care setting.

A solution for every space.

MDU/Rx™

Pyure Mini® Purifier

Pyure IDU™ Purifier

Odorox® Slimline™ Purifier

Odorox® Boss™ Purifier

Odorox® Boss XL3™ Purifier

Scientific evidence & resources

Twenty years of hydroxyl engineering. Deployed in 30+ countries.