Although known since Antiquity, the antimicrobial properties of copper had never been exploited in the fight against nosocomial infections. The experiment carried out at Birmingham University Hospital aims to assess the ability of copper to prevent infection when integrated directly into the hospital environment, including door handles, faucets, grab bars in bathrooms, toilet seats and flushing toilets, worktops and trolleys. Two intensive care units were part of the test.
The first mid-term results show that the number of the most frequent pathogens is significantly reduced on surfaces containing copper: up to 95% less microorganisms compared to the same surfaces made of standard materials. Another result, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) die on contact with copper objects after just one hour.
According to the National Institute for Public Health Surveillance, in France, 750,000 patients each year contract an illness that they did not have when they arrived at the hospital: on average, 1 in 20 patients contract a nosocomial illness. Today, copper is a potential new weapon in the prevention of these infections. This experiment will be continued in 2009 on a larger scale.
