
A directory of microbes that BioCote® technology is effective against
Our Microbial A-Z is a guide of everything you need to know about the microbes BioCote® technology is effective against.
BioCote® antimicrobial technology has been tested against all of the microbes listed below, and performed successfully to control and reduce their presence on a protected surface.
What does this mean for BioCote® partners?
This overview demonstrates that the BioCote® technology contained in treated product performs against a wide range of microbes, including bacteria, mould, fungi and some enveloped viruses.
It also means that whilst the specific materials tested against each microbe may not reflect your product, the technology used is the same as that integrated into your product. This allows you to safely assume, that your product would perform in much the same way.
For any clients wishing to know more about how to share the BioCote® performance data in their marketing communications, please contact the BioCote® team for claims verification as otherwise claims cannot be supported in the market. This not only forms part of your branding agreement, but it also ensures that all messages are market appropriate.
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CRE Klebsiella
ESBL
producing Escherichia coli
MRSA
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
VRE
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Humans, animals and the environment.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Patients whose care requires ventilators, urinary catheters, or intravenous catheters.
• Meningitis
• Pneumonia
• Urinary tract infections
The frequency of CRE strains among clinical isolates has increased. Numbers are typically higher in India.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Humans, animals and the environment.
• Diarrhoea
• Urinary tract infections (UTI)
• Respiratory illness
• Pneumonia
The number of ESBL cases is steadily increasing. Whilst the numbers vary according to region, they are typically high in the Middle East.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
The skin, nose and throat of colonised individuals.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Skin-to-skin contact and contaminated objects e.g. towels, sheets, clothes, dressings, surfaces, door handles and floors.
• Wound infection
• Skin infection
• Septicaemia
• Endocarditis
The frequency of MRSA strains has shown an increase and decrease in clinical settings and increases in the community.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Human intestines, female genital tract and is also often found in the environment.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Large amounts of use of antibiotics selects for the bacteria and allows it to multiply and cause infection.
IN A WOUND:
• Red, inflammed and tender skin
IN THE URINARY TRACT:
• Back pain urning sensation and increaed urination
Others symptoms include diarrhoea, weakness, chills, and fever.
There has been a dramatic increase of VRE in the United States possibly due to more use of the antibiotic Vancomycin.
CRE Klebsiella
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Humans, animals and the environment.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Patients whose care requires ventilators, urinary catheters, or intravenous catheters.
• Meningitis
• Pneumonia
• Urinary tract infections
The frequency of CRE strains among clinical isolates has increased. Numbers are typically higher in India.
ESBL
producing Escherichia coli
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Humans, animals and the environment.
• Diarrhoea
• Urinary tract infections (UTI)
• Respiratory illness
• Pneumonia
The number of ESBL cases is steadily increasing. Whilst the numbers vary according to region, they are typically high in the Middle East.
MRSA
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
ASSOCIATED WITH:
The skin, nose and throat of colonised individuals.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Skin-to-skin contact and contaminated objects e.g. towels, sheets, clothes, dressings, surfaces, door handles and floors.
• Wound infection
• Skin infection
• Septicaemia
• Endocarditis
The frequency of MRSA strains has shown an increase and decrease in clinical settings and increases in the community.
VRE
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Human intestines, female genital tract and is also often found in the environment.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Large amounts of use of antibiotics selects for the bacteria and allows it to multiply and cause infection.
IN A WOUND:
• Red, inflammed and tender skin
IN THE URINARY TRACT:
• Back pain urning sensation and increaed urination
Others symptoms include diarrhoea, weakness, chills, and fever.
There has been a dramatic increase of VRE in the United States possibly due to more use of the antibiotic Vancomycin.
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Acinetobacter Baumannii
Burkholderia spp.
Campylobacter
Chelatococcus asaccharovorans
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Soil and water.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Person to person contact or contaminated surfaces,such as bedside tables, hand rails, floors.
• Pneumonia
• Blood infections
• Wound infections
Acinetobacter baumannii is responsible for 80% of all Acinetobacter infections.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Ccontaminated soil and surface waters
SPREAD THROUGH:
Inhalation of contaminated dust or water droplets, ingestion of contaminated water and contact with contaminated soil, especially through skin abrasions.
- Melioidosis (Burkholderia pseudomallei)
- Not known to cause disease in humans (Burkholderia tropica)
The only place Burkholderia pseudomallei occur naturally in the United States is Puerto Rico.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Raw meat (usually poultry), raw milk.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Consumption of undercooked meat or contaminated surfaces, such as cooking utensils, chopping board, work surfaces.
• Diarrhoea (often with blood)
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Fever
• Headache
• Nausea and/or vomiting
Symptoms take 3-6 days to develop.
Campylobacter is the most common food poisioning bacterium in Britain with around 280,000 cases a year.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Waste water.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Environmental contamination, contact with surfaces such as hand rails, tables, chairs, door handles.
Non-infectious, Involved in biodegradation of compounds.
Numbers increase with both temperature and richness of nutrients.
Acinetobacter Baumannii
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Soil and water.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Person to person contact or contaminated surfaces,such as bedside tables, hand rails, floors.
• Pneumonia
• Blood infections
• Wound infections
Acinetobacter baumannii is responsible for 80% of all Acinetobacter infections.
Campylobacter
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Raw meat (usually poultry), raw milk.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Consumption of undercooked meat or contaminated surfaces, such as cooking utensils, chopping board, work surfaces.
• Diarrhoea (often with blood)
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Fever
• Headache
• Nausea and/or vomiting
Symptoms take 3-6 days to develop.
Campylobacter is the most common food poisioning bacterium in Britain with around 280,000 cases a year.
Chelatococcus asaccharovorans
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Waste water.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Environmental contamination, contact with surfaces such as hand rails, tables, chairs, door handles.
Non-infectious, Involved in biodegradation of compounds.
Numbers increase with both temperature and richness of nutrients.
Clostridium difficile
E. coli & E. coli O157
Enterobacter aerogenes
Enterococcus faecalis
ASSOCIATED WITH:
The human intestines.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Person to person contact or contaminated surfaces, such as sheets, beds, handrails, wall cladding.
• Watery diarrhoea
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and abdominal pain
May also show signs of dehydration.
C. difficile bacteria are found in the digestive system of about 1 in every 30 healthy adults and around 2/3 of babies.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Intestines of animals, environments infected with E. coli containing faeces.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Consumption of contaminated food and drink, and contaminated surfaces, such as chopping boards, equipment, kitchen/bathroom sinks.
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Stomach cramps
• High temperature and aching muscles
O157 causes more severe infections. For example, kidney complications.
E. coli 0157 causes approximately 100,000 illnesses, 3,000 hospitalisations, and 90 deaths each year in the United States.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Soil, water, dairy products and intestines of animals (including humans).
SPREAD THROUGH:
Hospital settings – equipment, skin to skin contact, beds, table surfaces.
• Skin and eye conditions
• Meningitis
• Bacteremia (bacterial blood infection)
• Pneumonia
• Urinary tract infections
Enterobacter spp. are commonly found in intensive care units and are responsible for 8.6% of nosocomial infections.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Human intestines, female genital tract and is also often in the environment.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Intravascular or urinary catheters.
In a wound:
• Red, inflammed and tender skin
In the urinary tract:
• Back pain, burning sensation and increased urination
Enterococci faecalis is isolated from 80-90% of human intestine samples.
Clostridium difficile
ASSOCIATED WITH:
The human intestines.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Person to person contact or contaminated surfaces, such as sheets, beds, handrails, wall cladding.
• Watery diarrhoea
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and abdominal pain
May also show signs of dehydration.
C. difficile bacteria are found in the digestive system of about 1 in every 30 healthy adults and around 2/3 of babies.
E. coli & E. coli O157
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Intestines of animals, environments infected with E. coli containing faeces.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Consumption of contaminated food and drink, and contaminated surfaces, such as chopping boards, equipment, kitchen/bathroom sinks.
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Stomach cramps
• High temperature and aching muscles
O157 causes more severe infections. For example, kidney complications.
E. coli 0157 causes approximately 100,000 illnesses, 3,000 hospitalisations, and 90 deaths each year in the United States.
Enterobacter aerogenes
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Soil, water, dairy products and intestines of animals (including humans).
SPREAD THROUGH:
Hospital settings – equipment, skin to skin contact, beds, table surfaces.
• Skin and eye conditions
• Meningitis
• Bacteremia (bacterial blood infection)
• Pneumonia
• Urinary tract infections
Enterobacter spp. are commonly found in intensive care units and are responsible for 8.6% of nosocomial infections.
Enterococcus faecalis
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Human intestines, female genital tract and is also often in the environment.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Intravascular or urinary catheters.
In a wound:
• Red, inflammed and tender skin
In the urinary tract:
• Back pain, burning sensation and increased urination
Enterococci faecalis is isolated from 80-90% of human intestine samples.
Legionella pneumophila
Listeria monocytogenes
Methylobacterium mesophilicum
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Water and potting mixes
SPREAD THROUGH:
Inhalation of contaminated aerosols e.g. Water sprays, jets and mist from backsplash from a sink or shower.
• Respiratory failure
• Multi-organ failure/ dysfunction (MOD)
• Eventually death
• Legionnaires’ disease, ranging from mild cough to fatal pneumonia (duration 2-10 days)
The name “Legionnaires’ disease” came from the outbreak that occurred in 1976 in an American Legion convention in Philadelphia.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Chilled ready-made food – such as deli soil, animals, refrigerated foods, raw
milk and soft cheeses.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Ingestion of contaminated foods.
• Fever
• Stiff neck
• Confusion
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
Listeria caused the largest foodbourne illness outbreak in the USA, resulting in 30 deaths and 147 reported illnesses.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Soils, on leaves and other parts of plants, tap water in hospitals and sewage.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Environmental contamination, such as touch surfaces like bedside tables, door handles and hand rails. Also by exposure – skin to skin contact, hospital equipment, such as beds, bed rails, temperature probes.
• Bacteraemia – bacteria in the blood stream
• Central catheter infections
• Peritonitis in patients on chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis
Ability to form biofilms and develop a tolerance to disinfecting agents, high temperatures and drying make this microbe highly relevant.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
faeces, soil, sewage and hospital equipment.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Use of contaminated equipment, including catheters.
• Serious infection (usually occurs if there is already an underlying disease)
• External otitis – infection of the ear canal
• Endopthalmitis – inflammation of interior of the eye.
• Meningitis
• Pneumonia
• Diarrhoea
• Fever
• Nausea
Pseudomonas aeruginosa accounts for about 10% of hospital acquired infections.
Legionella pneumophila
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Water and potting mixes
SPREAD THROUGH:
Inhalation of contaminated aerosols e.g. Water sprays, jets and mist from backsplash from a sink or shower.
• Respiratory failure
• Multi-organ failure/ dysfunction (MOD)
• Eventually death
• Legionnaires’ disease, ranging from mild cough to fatal pneumonia (duration 2-10 days)
The name “Legionnaires’ disease” came from the outbreak that occurred in 1976 in an American Legion convention in Philadelphia.
Listeria monocytogenes
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Chilled ready-made food – such as deli soil, animals, refrigerated foods, raw
milk and soft cheeses.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Ingestion of contaminated foods.
• Fever
• Stiff neck
• Confusion
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
Listeria caused the largest foodbourne illness outbreak in the USA, resulting in 30 deaths and 147 reported illnesses.
Methylobacterium mesophilicum
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Soils, on leaves and other parts of plants, tap water in hospitals and sewage.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Environmental contamination, such as touch surfaces like bedside tables, door handles and hand rails. Also by exposure – skin to skin contact, hospital equipment, such as beds, bed rails, temperature probes.
• Bacteraemia – bacteria in the blood stream
• Central catheter infections
• Peritonitis in patients on chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis
Ability to form biofilms and develop a tolerance to disinfecting agents, high temperatures and drying make this microbe highly relevant.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
ASSOCIATED WITH:
faeces, soil, sewage and hospital equipment.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Use of contaminated equipment, including catheters.
• Serious infection (usually occurs if there is already an underlying disease)
• External otitis – infection of the ear canal
• Endopthalmitis – inflammation of interior of the eye.
• Meningitis
• Pneumonia
• Diarrhoea
• Fever
• Nausea
Pseudomonas aeruginosa accounts for about 10% of hospital acquired infections.
Ralstonia pickettii
Salmonella spp.
Shigella spp.
Sphingomonas paucimobilis
ASSOCIATED WITH:
moist environments such as soil, rivers and lakes.
SPREAD THROUGH:
contaminated fluids used for patient care.
• Respiratory tract infections
• Sepsis
• Wound infections
• Infections of the ear and nose
In healthy individuals, infections with Ralstonia spp. are extremely rare – they are more commonly found in individuals with compromised immune systems, such as those with cystic fibrosis.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Poultry, pigs and cattle. Reptitles also carry the bacteria.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Consumption of contaminated food or drink, person to person or animal to person.
• Diarrhoea
• Fever
• Nausea
• Abdominal cramps
Symptoms usually last around 4-7 days.
The CDC estimates 1.2 million illnesses and 450 deaths each year in the United States.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Human faeces, water from ponds, lakes and untreated pools.
SPREAD THROUGH:
A faecal-oral route, e.g. eating food washed in contaminated water,contaminated surfaces e.g. table tops, kitchen equipment.
• Diarrhoea
• Fever
• Abdominal pain
• Tenesmus
Symptoms take 1-2 days to develop.
Shigella causes about 500,000 cases of diarrhoea each year in the United States.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
both wet and dry environments.
SPREAD THROUGH:
hospital equipment, humidifiers, water, air, bedside water bottles, sinks and temperature probes.
• Leg ulcers
• Peritonitis
• Respiratory infection
• Urinary infection
• Meningitis
An unidentified strain of Sphingomonas is held responsible for coral plague – first discovered in 1995, and a study in 2004 found it present in shower curtain biofilms.
Ralstonia pickettii
ASSOCIATED WITH:
moist environments such as soil, rivers and lakes.
SPREAD THROUGH:
contaminated fluids used for patient care.
• Respiratory tract infections
• Sepsis
• Wound infections
• Infections of the ear and nose
In healthy individuals, infections with Ralstonia spp. are extremely rare – they are more commonly found in individuals with compromised immune systems, such as those with cystic fibrosis.
Salmonella spp.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Poultry, pigs and cattle. Reptitles also carry the bacteria.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Consumption of contaminated food or drink, person to person or animal to person.
• Diarrhoea
• Fever
• Nausea
• Abdominal cramps
Symptoms usually last around 4-7 days.
The CDC estimates 1.2 million illnesses and 450 deaths each year in the United States.
Shigella spp.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Human faeces, water from ponds, lakes and untreated pools.
SPREAD THROUGH:
A faecal-oral route, e.g. eating food washed in contaminated water,contaminated surfaces e.g. table tops, kitchen equipment.
• Diarrhoea
• Fever
• Abdominal pain
• Tenesmus
Symptoms take 1-2 days to develop.
Shigella causes about 500,000 cases of diarrhoea each year in the United States.
Sphingomonas paucimobilis
ASSOCIATED WITH:
both wet and dry environments.
SPREAD THROUGH:
hospital equipment, humidifiers, water, air, bedside water bottles, sinks and temperature probes.
• Leg ulcers
• Peritonitis
• Respiratory infection
• Urinary infection
• Meningitis
An unidentified strain of Sphingomonas is held responsible for coral plague – first discovered in 1995, and a study in 2004 found it present in shower curtain biofilms.
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus epidermidis
Streptococcus faecalis
ASSOCIATED WITH:
The skin, nose and throat of colonised individuals.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Skin-to-skin contact and contaminated surfaces, such as hospital beds, hand rails, floors wall cladding, bathroom fittings.
• Wound infection
• Skin infection
• Septicaemia
• Endocarditis
Found on the skin of 80-100% of patients with skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, yet the reason is unclear.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
The skin, nose and throat of colonised individuals.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Biofilms growing on catheters and intravenous lines.
• Wound infection
• Skin infection
• Septicaemia
• Endocarditis
Part of the normal skin flora, but infections are usually hospital-acquired.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Human intestines, female genital tract and is also the environment.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Intravascular or urinary catheters devices.
In a wound:
• Red, inflammed and tender skin
In the urinary tract:
• Back pain, burning sensation and increased urination
It is the most frequent species isolated from human intestine samples (80-90%).
Staphylococcus aureus
ASSOCIATED WITH:
The skin, nose and throat of colonised individuals.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Skin-to-skin contact and contaminated surfaces, such as hospital beds, hand rails, floors wall cladding, bathroom fittings.
• Wound infection
• Skin infection
• Septicaemia
• Endocarditis
Found on the skin of 80-100% of patients with skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, yet the reason is unclear.
Staphylococcus epidermidis
ASSOCIATED WITH:
The skin, nose and throat of colonised individuals.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Biofilms growing on catheters and intravenous lines.
• Wound infection
• Skin infection
• Septicaemia
• Endocarditis
Part of the normal skin flora, but infections are usually hospital-acquired.
Streptococcus faecalis
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Human intestines, female genital tract and is also the environment.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Intravascular or urinary catheters devices.
In a wound:
• Red, inflammed and tender skin
In the urinary tract:
• Back pain, burning sensation and increased urination
It is the most frequent species isolated from human intestine samples (80-90%).
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Aspergillus niger
Candida albicans
Candida auris
Penicillium sp.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Soil, indoor and outdoor environment.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Mould spores in the air.
Can cause aspergillosis diseases:
• Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
• Allergic Aspergillus sinusitis
• Aspergilloma (fungus ball)
• Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis
Aspergillus niger is found growing all over the world, and is the third most common species associated with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
The mucoid membranes and on the skin.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Skin-to-skin contact, contaminated equipment like hospital bed.
• Thrush
• Fever and chills
• Invasive infections
Candida can naturally be present on human skin and in the human gastrointestinal tract, and is usually an opportunistic pathogen in patients with compromised immune systems. In a vegetative state can survive for up to 21 years.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Hospitals and healthcare settings
SPREAD THROUGH:
Shared contact points such as furniture and medical equipment
- Urinary tract infections (UTI)
- Pericarditis
- Candidemia
It can survive up to 14 days on plastics
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Common cause of food spoilage by microbial contamination.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Mould spores in the air.
Penicillium sp. is present in the air of both indoor and outdoor environments.
Penicillium sp. is present in the air of both indoor and outdoor environments.
Aspergillus brasiliensis
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Inhalation of airborne conidia, through contaminated water and nosocomial infections
SPREAD THROUGH:
Breathing in spores. This cannot be spread from person to person contact.
- Aspergillosis
Hospital fabrics and plastics may serve as importance source of Aspergillus spp.

Feline coronavirus
Influenza A H1N1
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Felines
SPREAD THROUGH:
The oral–faecal route between felids but is not infectious to other species
- Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)
Stress, or superinfections with feline leukaemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus, respectively, increase the risk for FIP development.
ASSOCIATED WITH:
Influenza virus occurs naturally in various animals and birds.
SPREAD THROUGH:
Coughing and sneezing. Short distance airborne transmission of influenza virus may occur particularly in crowded or enclosed spaces.
• Fever
• Chills
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Aching muscles
The 2009 pandemic caused 17,000 deaths worldwide.