LIV Process and the Battle Against C. diff: Solving Invisible Problems

The Veterans Health Administration (VA) has signed a contract to deploy a patented microbial-visualization technology across 170 VA locations to identify environmental contamination from pathogens, specifically Clostridioides difficile (C. Diff).

Developed by the Philadelphia-based biotechnology company LIV Process, the system allows healthcare facilities to visualize C. Diff spores on surfaces within seconds of application. This tool is designed to strengthen infection control protocols in environments where the bacterium is commonly found.

Addressing a Hidden Threat

C. Diff is a potentially deadly bacterium frequent in healthcare settings. The pathogen is particularly challenging for hospitals because they have lacked reliable and time-efficient methods to detect its presence on surfaces.

The danger posed by the bacterium is significant. According to McIntyre, a representative of the technology, C. Diff translates to somewhere around four deaths per hour.

LIV Process describes its system as the world’s first-and-only microbiological visualization system capable of bringing this specific threat into focus for front-line environmental service and infection prevention experts.

Technology and Implementation

The visualization tool was showcased during IDWeek 2025 in Atlanta before the subsequent contract approval from the VA. The technology operates on the premise that environmental contamination cannot be effectively managed if it remains invisible to the staff responsible for cleaning and disinfection.

The conceptual foundation for the system began nine years ago, based on the guiding principle that a problem cannot be solved if it cannot be seen. This approach aims to provide immediate visibility to pathogens that are otherwise undetectable to the naked eye, allowing for more precise cleaning and targeted infection control.

You can’t solve a problem you can’t see

LIV Process

Impact on Public Health

By allowing hospitals to see exactly where spores are located, the technology intends to save lives by reducing the transmission of the pathogen. The company works alongside infection prevention experts to ensure the technology integrates with the duties of those protecting patients from dangerous pathogens.

The rollout across 170 VA facilities represents a significant scale of implementation for this microbial-visualization approach, focusing on the long-living nature of C. Diff spores and their persistence in healthcare environments.