infection control – special report


In this article we explore the growing evidence base for the use of copper touch surfaces to improve hygiene and boost infection control in healthcare settings


A


pproximately four million people across the EU acquire a healthcare- associated infection (HCAI) every


year, of which approximately 37,000 of those die as a result. Over the past decade, this worrying


statistic has thrown the spotlight on infection prevention and control measures within healthcare settings. While hand hygiene and top-notch


cleaning regimes are central to this ongoing battle; the physical environment also has a part to play. Antimicrobial surface materials and


products are becoming increasingly commonplace in our hospitals, health centres and care homes. But one particular material is proving


to be a frontrunner, with an already impressive, and still-growing, evidence base supporting its use across the sector. Copper and copper alloys are


engineering materials that are durable, colourful, recyclable and widely available in various forms suitable for a range of manufacturing purposes. They offer a suite of options for product


designers and are known and proven to have intrinsic antimicrobial properties. With broad-spectrum and rapid


efficacy, antimicrobial copper – as the materials are collectively known – have been shown time and time again to kill pathogenic microbes in the laboratory and the clinical environment, significantly and continuously reducing bacteria.


Giving evidence What makes copper products particularly popular is that their bug-busting effect is continuous and has been proven to be far more effective under typical indoor conditions than products containing additives such as silver.


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Ancient metal proves its worth in bug battle


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