Air-purifying respirators may use negative pressure (the user pulls air through the respirator), or air is supplied through a powered source (powered
air-purifying respirator).
The Millennium Chemical-Biological Mask--produced by the Pittsburgh-based Mine Safety Appliances Company--is an
air-purifying respirator, which provides protection against biological agents, such as anthrax, botulinum toxin and ricin, and chemical agents, including nerve gas, mustard gas and Lewisite, explained Ken Bobetich, the firm's product manager for
air-purifying respirators.
We report 2 cases of SNV infection in field workers in Colorado, who were infected with the virus despite protection with a powered
air-purifying respirator. We also performed a serologic survey of wild rodents in the presumptive areas of exposure and quantitative real-time PCR analyses of blood samples from deer mice identified as seropositive.
Protection Respiratory Respiratory protection (particulate metal Protection fumes, organic vapor, etc.): Half mask respirator; full facepiece respirator; filtering facepiece
air-purifying respirator (APR); powered
air-purifying respirator (PAPR).
Among the 21 cases with information available on use of PPE, only one involved a person who wore complete PPE (e.g.,
air-purifying respirator, goggles/face shield, chemical-resistant gloves, protective suit, and footwear).
However, level A emergency departments used high grade PPE (P100/N100/FFP3 or powered
air-purifying respirator) more often than emergency departments at level B and C hospitals.
A total of 27 (79%) reported using a replaceable-cartridge
air-purifying respirator (10 [37%] of these had been fit-tested), and six (18%) reported using a dust mask while operating blasting equipment.
During the application, he wore the PPE recommended on the product label, including a laminated full-body suit, rubber boots, nitrile gloves, and a full-face
air-purifying respirator equipped with a pesticide prefilter and organic vapor cartridge.
Admittedly, no published study has compared incidence among 2 similarly exposed groups to address the effectiveness of
air-purifying respirators for preventing coccidioidomycosis, and wearing an N95 filtering facepiece or half-face elastomeric respirator for a prolonged period is uncomfortable.
Department of Health and Human and Services (DHHS), however, provides written PPE guidance that states both the N-95 and powered
air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) are not negative pressure respirators: both can allow contaminants to breach the units (DHHS, 2014).
The two applicators were wearing complete personal protective equipment (including
air-purifying respirators and chemical-resistant headgear) and reported no symptoms.
The California-based nurses' union, National Nurses United, said hospitals still lack enough hazardous materials suits which leave no skin exposed and sufficient powered
air-purifying respirators to properly protect nurses from exposure, Yahoo News reported.