Effectiveness of Copper-Impregnated Solid Surfaces on Lowering Microbial Bio-Burden Levels in an Acute Care Hospital

摘要

BackgroundMicrobial bio-burden on high-touch surfaces in patient rooms may lead to acquisition of health care–associated infections in acute care hospitals. This study examined the effect of a novel copper-impregnated solid material (16%–20% copper oxide in a polymer-based resin) on bacterial contamination on high-touch surfaces in patient rooms in an acute care hospital.MethodsFive high-touch surfaces were sampled for aerobic bacterial colonies (ABCs) 3 times per day over a 3-day period in 16 rooms with copper installed and 16 rooms with standard noncopper laminate installed on high-touch surfaces. A Bayesian multilevel negative binomial regression model was used to compare ABC plate counts from copper-impregnated surfaces with standard hospital laminate surfaces.ResultsThe mean and median (interquartile range [IQR]) ABC counts from copper-impregnated surfaces were 25.5 and 11 (4–27), and for standard hospital laminate surfaces they were 60.5 and 29 (10–74.3). The negative binomial regression model–estimated incidence rate for ABC counts on plates taken from copper-impregnated surfaces was 0.40 (0.21–0.70) times the incidence rate of ABC counts on plates taken from standard hospital laminate surfaces.ConclusionsCopper-impregnated solid surfaces may reduce the level of microbial contamination on high-touch surfaces in patient rooms in the acute care environment, as our study demonstrated a decline in microbial bio-burden on samples taken from copper-impregnated compared with standard hospital laminate high-touch surfaces.