Why Install Antimicrobial Copper?

Just compare the cost of installing Antimicrobial copper to the cost of treating infections.  UK Study determines that installing Antimicrobial copper touch surfaces in a 20 bed ward cost the equivalent of treating 1.5 healthcare associated infections. Consultant Microbiologist at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Professor Elliott led the UK trial of antimicrobial copper surfaces at Birmingham’s Selly Oak Hospital. He and his team discovered touch surfaces such as taps, door handles, light switches and dressings trolleys that were made from copper and copper alloys benefitted from the metal’s natural antimicrobial activity and had greater than 90% less microbial contamination on them than the same items on the same ward made from conventional materials. This finding has since been confirmed by results from US and Chilean studies. In the Selly Oak trial, Professor Elliott judged that the cost of installing antimicrobial copper surfaces on the 20-bed general medical ward was roughly equivalent to the cost associated with treating 1.5 healthcare-associated infections. He further pointed out: “For the one-off cost of installing antimicrobial copper surfaces, you get continuous microbial contamination reduction throughout the products’ life, and these materials are durable and long-lasting.”  
 

Only Copper

 

Antimicrobial Copper is the only solid surface material registered by the U.S. EPA to continuously kill bacteria that pose a threat to human health. No other solid touch surface has this kind of registration.

In order to receive this registration, the three approved Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) test protocols the EPA used to register Antimicrobial Copper with public health claims are:

  1. Efficacy as a sanitizer – which measures viable bacterial count after two hours.
  2. Residual self-sanitizing activity – which measures antimicrobial efficacy before and after 6 wet and dry wear cycles in a standard wear apparatus which mimics cleaning.  
  3. Continuous reduction of bacterial contaminants – which measures bacteria after inoculating an alloy surface eight times in a 24-hour period without intermediate cleaning or wiping.

Laboratory testing has shown that when cleaned regularly copper alloys continuously reduce bacterial contamination, achieving 99.9% reduction within two hours of exposure.

Why Copper?

In the U.S. alone, 2,000,000 people acquire infections in hospitals each year resulting in nearly 100,000 deaths. Antimicrobial Copper kills the bacteria that cause these infections.

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) place a significant socioeconomic burden on people from all regions of the world.  In addition to the immeasurable personal costs, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate the direct cost of HAIs in the U.S. at between $35 and $45 billion annually.  These infections are caused by bacteria that thrive on objects we touch every day.  Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have spread from the healthcare environment to schools, homes and mass transit.  Despite aggressive hand washing campaigns and routine cleaning, these infections are increasing at an alarming rate.

Now there is a new weapon in the fight against the bacteria that cause these deadly infections: Antimicrobial Copper.

Antimicrobial Copper is the only touch surface material registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to continuously kill more than 99.9% of the bacteria that cause HAIs within two hours of contact.

Science supporting the EPA registration has proven Antimicrobial Copper to be the most effective antimicrobial touch surface and has sparked a global campaign advocating the use of these materials to combat infectious bacteria in healthcare facilities, mass transit, educational institutions and beyond.

Three main characteristics make Antimicrobial Copper the most effective touch surface material:

Continuously kills bacteria

  • Efficacy as an antimicrobial is proven far more effective than stainless steel or silver-containing coatings
  • Proven to continuously kill the bacteria* that cause infections
  • The only solid antimicrobial touch surface approved by EPA

Never wears out

  • Continuous and ongoing antimicrobial action
  • Remains effective even after repeated wet & dry abrasion and re-contamination
  • Natural tarnishing does not impair efficacy

Safe to use

  • Not harmful to people or the environment
  • Inherently antimicrobial, no chemicals added
  • Completely recyclable

The Case for CuSalus

The Case for Designing the Built Environment using CuSalus

Evidence-based design is the process of basing decisions about the built environment on credible research to achieve the best possible outcomes – The Center for Health Design

Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI’s) affect two million people every year, resulting in 100,000 deaths in the United States alone. 

HAI’s are the FOURTH LEADING CAUSE of death in the United States, after cancer, heart attacks and strokes, and the CDC estimates that the cost of these infections is between $35-45 billion per year.

Antimicrobial Copper is superior to alternative touch surface materials on all fronts 

  • Proven efficacy as an antimicrobial – far more effective than stainless steel or silver-containing coatings
  • Proven to continuously kill the bacteria that cause infections
  • The only class of solid antimicrobial touch surface approved by EPA to make public health claims
  • Continuous and ongoing antibacterial action
  • Remains effective even after repeated wet & dry abrasion and re-contamination
  • Natural tarnishing does not impair efficacy
  • Not harmful to people or the environment
  • Inherently antimicrobial, no chemicals added
  • Completely recyclable
  • Antimicrobial efficacy will NEVER wear away

Given that the transmission of healthcare acquired pathogens is related to the contamination of surfaces and equipment near the patient, the use of antimicrobial copper hardware for every item meant to be touched makes common sense – research shows that 80% of all infectious diseases are transmitted by touch. 

Antimicrobial Efficacy

A lot of touch surfaces say they are antimicrobial – only products made with CuVerro Antimicrobial Copper can prove it.