Comparison of UV inactivation of spores of three encephalitozoon species with that of spores of two DNA repair-deficient Bacillus subtilis biodosimetry strains

When exposed to 254-nm UV, spores of Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, and Encephalitozoon hellem exhibited 3.2-log reductions in viability at UV fluences of 60, 140, and 190 J/m(2), respectively, and demonstrated UV inactivation kinetics similar to those observed for endospores of DNA repair-defective mutant Bacillus subtilis strains used as biodosimetry surrogates. The results indicate that spores of Encephalitozoon spp. are readily inactivated at low UV fluences and that spores of UV-sensitive B. subtilis strains can be useful surrogates in evaluating UV reactor performance.