Trials of a natural and cheap alternative to traditional hygiene practices could spawn a new approach to the fight against hospital superbugs, according to UK hygiene specialist Chemex International, based in Smethwick, West Midlands. The company says the unique properties of biofilms could be used in a healthcare setting to exclude pathogens as well as producing enzymes to digest dirt, grease and grime. In trials, the firm found that replacing traditional cleaning chemicals with a product based on Bacillus subtilis resulted in a visibly cleaner, more hygienic, safer environment. The trials ran over a three-week period in a single site at a London-based NHS Trust containing a number of staff washrooms. The normal janitorial products used for daily cleaning were removed and replaced with a product containing B. subtilis.
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