Kirkland-based Vioguard LLC has landed a sales and distribution agreement with Hewlett-Packard to market and sell a self-sanitizing computer keyboard recently approved by the FDA.

“We’re thrilled to partner with a company as focused on patient safety and healthcare efficiencies as HP,” said Larry Ranta, Vioguard’s president. “As part of our commitment to help organizations prevent the spread of healthcare-associated infections, we are proud to team with a company well known for their quality and expertise in the medical industry.”

Computers are becoming more common in hospitals because of electronic medical records, and shared keyboards are one of the major ways that disease can spread.

The Ultraviolet “Class C” light used by the Vioguard keyboard is a well-known germicide. Vioguard cites outside lab tests showing the effectiveness of its system, which it claims can rid highly contaminated keyboards of bacteria related to the deadly MRSA infection and other diseases in as little as 10 seconds.

Vioguard was awarded a patent in December, and the keyboard went through a clinical trial. The results were recently published in the American Journal of Infection.

Vioguard LLC, owned by two Microsoft Hardware alums and their business partners, sees its device as an alternative to manual cleaning. After use, the keyboard automatically retracts into an enclosed monitor stand to be bathed in ultraviolet light.

Earlier in January, the Food and Drug Administration cleared the Vioguard self-sanitizing computer keyboard for use in hospitals and clinics.