In this edition of the Antimicrobial Copper newsletter, we offer you the chance to review the latest copper science as well as news of an exciting new installation.
Antimicrobial Copper will be present at Future Health & Care Expo in London, IFIC 2011 in Venice, and IPCAN in Namibia. To find out more, please visit our Events Page.
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WHO Presentation Online
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ICPIC Presentation Made Available as Webcast
Preliminary results presented at the World Health Organization's infection prevention conference in July demonstrated a greater than 40% reduction in a patient's risk of acquiring a hospital infection when they stayed in rooms equipped with copper touch surfaces. Trial leader Dr Michael Schmidt's presentation is now available to view as a webcast on the Antimicrobial Copper website, and includes the Q&A session that came afterwards. It can also be downloaded as a zip file for offline viewing. More |
Ronald McDonald House Specifies Copper
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Families Protected by Antimicrobial Copper
 Ronald McDonald Houses are world-renowned for the care they offer to families and children in need. Now, the Ronald McDonald House of Charleston, South Carolina has chosen to replace many of their high-touch surfaces with antimicrobial copper items to create a safer living and working environment for its guests and staff.
Houses like this provide seriously ill children and their families with a second home during the time of the child's treatment and recovery. These amenities are provided at no cost to the families in need. The Charleston facility can host up to 25 families a night, and volunteers are on staff 24 hours a day to aid the families however possible. The new surfaces are made from copper alloys such as brass and bronze that will be hard-wearing as well as contributing to the comfortable and homely atmosphere of the House.
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| Copper Cuts Pen Contamination | |
Selly Oak Trial Quantifies Contamination Reduction
A clinical study has demonstrated that antimicrobial copper pens used in critical care units had significantly fewer microbes on them at the end of a shift and thus reduced the risk of recontaminating healthcare workers' hands.
Staff in two busy critical care units were given the same design of pen made from either stainless steel or brass, an alloy of copper and zinc. Contamination on each type of pen was measured and compared at the end of the 12.5 hour working shift.
The study found that, at the end of the working shift, 52% of the brass pens were contamination-free, compared to 32% of the stainless steel pens. Most significantly, the total contamination on the brass pens was 87.3% less than on the stainless steel pens.
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