Using BioCoteŽ protected products in hospital environments results in a reduction in bacterial contamination, according to a pilot study published in the Journal of Infection Prevention.
The first ever study into the effect on the environment when using silver antimicrobial products has been carried out by the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust and BioCote Ltd over an 18 month period, comparing bacterial counts in two outpatient departments.
Unit A was furnished with BioCoteŽ protected products including blinds, tiles, door handles, sack holders and light switches and also a number of untreated products. Unit B contained standard, untreated items. After one year swabs were collected to measure the number of bacteria on the products in each department.
Bacteria counts were 95.8% lower in unit A, containing BioCoteŽ protected products, compared to unit B, with no BioCoteŽ present.
BioCote’s microbiologist Richard Hastings comments: “This is the first study to test the efficacy of silver-treated products in a real environment, rather than laboratory testing. BioCote Ltd is leading the way in building a sound evidence base to suggest that products with BioCoteŽ protection, can help reduce bacterial contamination in real life environments, making them cleaner and more hygienic for occupants.
“BioCoteŽ protected products will never be the silver bullets to kill infection in hospitals, but by introducing such products into healthcare environments, this evidence justifies how they can be part of infection prevention and control strategies to reduce the risks of cross-contamination and consequential infection.
“It’s clear that the introduction of BioCoteŽ protected products into hospitals will lead to a more hygienic and safer environment for patients, helping to reduce the risks of patients being infected with "superbugs" such as MRSA.”
BioCoteŽ technology is based on silver, which is a safe, natural antimicrobial, commonly used in wound dressings and surface-coated catheters to reduce the risk of infection. When bacteria come into contact with silver, they lose their ability to reproduce and die. BioCote Ltd works with a growing number of manufacturers of healthcare equipment and furniture to incorporate this cutting edge technology into their products at the manufacturing stage. Silver can be incorporated into a variety of materials including plastics, fabrics, paints, powder coatings and papers.
25 February 2009
BioCote® proven to work in real-life environments.
As experts in our field, BioCote Ltd is leading the way in research and evidence-based studies to demonstrate the antimicrobial performance of BioCote® protected products not only in lab tests but also in real life environments.
