Although Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) has been deeply studied, significant gaps remain in the fundamental understanding of HSV-host interactions: our work focused on studying the Infected Cell Protein 27 (ICP27) as an inhibitor of the Absent-in-melanoma-2 (AIM 2) inflammasome pathway, leading to reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines that influence the activation of a protective innate immune response to infection. To assess the inhibition of the inflammasome by the ICP27, hTert-immortalized Retinal Pigment Epithelial cells (hTert-RPE 1) infected with HSV-1 wild type were compared to HSV-1 lacking functional ICP27 (HSV-1∆ICP27) infected cells. The activation of the inflammasome by HSV-1∆ICP27 was demonstrated by quantifying the gene and protein expression of the inflammasome constituents using real-time PCR and Western blot. The detection of the cleavage of the pro-caspase-1 into the active form was performed by using a bioluminescent assay, while the quantification of interleukins 1β (IL-1β) and 18 (IL-18)released in the supernatant was quantified using an ELISA assay. The data showed that the presence of the ICP27 expressed by HSV-1 induces, in contrast to HSV-1∆ICP27 vector, a significant downregulation of AIM 2 inflammasome constituent proteins and, consequently, the release of pro-inflammatory interleukins into the extracellular environment reducing an effective response in counteracting infection.

This research conducts a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) to examine both the ecological footprint and microbiological performance of eco-friendly and traditional cleaning methods in non-clinical environments. Conducted in accordance with the updated Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAMs), the research follows the principles and framework established by UNI EN ISO 14040 and 14044. Additionally, the assessment of carbon footprint (kg CO₂e) adheres to ISO 14067:2018, with guidance from Product Category Rules (PCR 2011:03 v3.0.1). Our findings demonstrate that the Green Protocol implemented by Dussmann Service reduces the carbon footprint of cleaning activities by 20.0% compared to the traditional protocol, equating to an annual reduction of 156 kg CO₂ at the pilot site. Laboratory analyses confirm that the Green Protocol maintains hygiene standards equivalent to conventional methods, ensuring adequate microbiological quality while significantly lowering environmental impact. The study highlights the feasibility of integrating eco-friendly cleaning practices without compromising effectiveness. Future research should explore the scalability, cost-efficiency, and long-term benefits of this approach. This assessment provides a scientifically validated foundation for adopting sustainable cleaning methodologies in professional settings, supporting the transition towards environmentally responsible facility management.

This study investigates the environmental and microbiological effectiveness of two cleaning protocols—EVA (Ecological Visible Approach) and a traditional cleaning protocol—implemented in a healthcare setting. The cleaning procedures were conducted using specific equipment tailored to each protocol, with the EVA Protocol emphasizing sustainable practices. Microbiological evaluations assessed the effectiveness of each protocol in reducing microbial presence on various surfaces. The results demonstrated that the EVA Protocol not only met but often exceeded the microbiological standards achieved by the traditional protocol while significantly reducing the environmental footprint. The comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) highlighted the EVA Protocol’s ability to lower CO₂ emissions by 31.5% compared to the traditional protocol. This study underscores the potential benefits of adopting sustainable cleaning practices in healthcare settings, contributing to both environmental preservation and effective infection control.

Growing concern for environmental sustainability has resulted in the implementation of sanitization methods that respect ecological principles. This research evaluates a “green” sanitizing protocol that uses CAM (Minimum Environmental Criteria)-compliant products against a traditional protocol within two ASL Roma 1 facilities. The study performed a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) following ISO 14040, ISO 14044, and ISO 14067 standards to measure greenhouse gases emissions. Microbiological sampling was conducted according to established protocols across three different risk zones utilizing contact plates and surface swabs. The Life Cycle Assessment showed that CO₂ emissions reduced by 49.6% to 53.3% at different sites due to reduced energy use together with concentrated detergents and improved washing cycles. Microbiological testing revealed notable decreases in contamination rates across both cleaning systems yet demonstrated the “green” system achieved superior results specifically within high-risk zones. The “green” protocol matched traditional cleaning methods hygienically but delivered significant environmental advantages which positions it as a sustainable hospital cleaning solution.

Healthcare cleaning services are essential for infection prevention and control, but they also contribute to the carbon footprint of healthcare facilities through recurrent consumption of detergents, disinfectants, textiles, water, energy, and transport-related resources. This sequential, non-randomized, single-facility evaluation compared a traditional cleaning protocol with a Green protocol oriented to the Italian Minimum Environmental Criteria (Criteri Ambientali Minimi, CAM) for cleaning services at Domus Nova Hospital, a private accredited healthcare facility in Ravenna, Italy. A risk-based microbiological monitoring plan was applied to low-, medium-, and medium-high-risk areas, prioritizing high-touch surfaces and using RODAC contact plates and sterile swabs. In parallel, a comparative Life Cycle Assessment was conducted in accordance with ISO 14040, ISO 14044, and ISO 14067 principles, using Global Warming Potential over 100 years as the main impact indicator and the functional unit of one square meter of cleaned hospital surface maintained for one year. The two protocols were assessed during different monitoring periods of unequal duration; therefore, the study was interpreted as a whole-system operational comparison rather than as a randomized trial or formal equivalence/non-inferiority assessment. After cleaning, all 64 observations obtained under the Green protocol met the adopted surface-hygiene acceptability criteria, compared with 55 of 64 observations under the Traditional protocol. No predefined target pathogenic indicators were recovered from post-cleaning samples under the applied culture conditions. From a climate-impact perspective, the Green protocol reduced the carbon footprint by 39.0%, corresponding to an avoided impact of 450 g CO2e m⁻² year⁻¹ and 2663.5 kg CO2e year⁻¹ at the facility scale. The main climate-related benefits were associated with the combined effect of textile-system redesign, lower energy consumption, optimized product use, and reduced operator transport. These findings support the use of integrated surface-hygiene indicators and life-cycle metrics to inform healthcare cleaning procurement, while highlighting that the results concern culture-based surface contamination indicators from a single facility and do not directly assess infection transmission or patient outcomes.

The transition toward sustainable facility management requires cleaning systems that reduce environmental burdens while maintaining high hygienic standards. This study presents a comparative evaluation of a green cleaning protocol (EVA SmartClean), compliant with the Italian Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM; D.M. 29 January 2021), compared with a conventional cleaning system implemented in a civil facility (Adriatico Guest House, Trieste, Italy; 8260 m²). The assessment integrates a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), conducted in accordance with ISO 14040, ISO 14044, ISO 14067 and PCR 2011:03 for professional cleaning services, with an extensive microbiological surface monitoring campaign performed using RODAC plates and swab sampling. The functional unit was defined as 1 m² of representative surface maintained clean for one year. The green protocol achieved a 47.7% reduction in Global Warming Potential (GWP100 based on IPCC AR6 characterization factors), corresponding to −110 g CO₂e/m²·year and −908 kg CO₂e/year for the entire facility. Major reductions in climate impact were associated with chemical consumption (−82.6%), energy use (−49.5%), and textile waste generation (−92.4%). Microbiological analyses demonstrated that both protocols complied with reference hygiene thresholds, while the green system achieved reductions in total mesophilic counts that were comparable or superior across representative surfaces. The results confirm that environmental optimization in cleaning services can be achieved without compromising microbiological safety, supporting public procurement policies aligned with CAM requirements and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 12 and 13).