The number of deaths due to MRSA doubled in the four years from 2001 to 2005. The same doubling was observed in the 8 years from 1993 to 2001.
Difficile death rates increased by 69% from 2004 to 2005! These alarming rates of increase have caused this phenomenon to be constantly in the newspapers and little success has been reported in combating it. There is no quick fix and the answer will undoubtedly lie in a combination of programs to cover all possible sources of infection. Whilst a major body of opinion is concentrating on the area around hospital beds it must also be remembered that people moving around a hospital are a major contribution to infection transmission from one surface to another.
Active methods of ensuring hygienic surfaces include regular cleaning with biocides, and hand washing regimes, but these depend on diligence by operatives and have been shown to cause spread of bacteria in worst cases.
An alternative is to use passive systems, especially for surfaces not in contact with patients, such as door handles, walls, doors, curtains and equipment.
A new product helps in the fight
TouchClean® is a nano technology photocatalytic coating from Dortrend International. Originally developed to coat door handles to kill bacteria, it has a wide range of possibilities including self-cleaning surfaces both indoors and out. What does it do?
TouchClean® destroys organic compounds on surfaces. Bacteria, spores, viruses, oudours, smoke and polutants are all destroyed. For instance TouchClean deals with MRSA, C. Difficille, E. Coli, SARS, listeria, salmonella, and bacterial spores. TouchClean® applied to surfaces will stop contaminants from growing and reduce them very quickly. Tests have shown that within 24 hours colonies of bacteria were reduced by 99.99%
The coating starts to work immediately it is exposed to a source of UV light. It continues to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, as long as there is a light to power it. Other systems need extensive curing periods at high temperatures, which limits the materials to be coated. Clean warm water is all that is needed to keep the surface clean, avoiding the use of environmentally unfriendly cleaning agents.
How does it work ?
When ultra violet (UV) light strikes the particles in the coating they are activated and emit electrons. Water nearby is broken down into highly reactive hydroxyl radicals and super oxides. These free radicals create a powerful oxidising reaction which breaks down organic compounds, including bacteria, viruses, moulds and odours, into water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) which then evaporate from the surface. It also has a “self-cleaning” effect that repels dirt on hard surfaces.
Testing
TouchClean has been tested to EN13697:2001 – A stringent testing method for chemical disinfectants and antiseptics. It is a quantitative non porous surface test for the evaluation of bactericidal and or fungicidal activity of chemical disinfectants used in the food, industrial, domestic and institutional areas. The test was carried out by applying the product to a metal surface to replicate the actual use and MRSA bacteria were added to this surface for the test. Users should be wary of tests that have been carried out in aqueous environments (adding to bacteria in a body of liquid) as this does not reflect actual conditions in use.
For further details and specifications for the region contact us at info@simonshardware.com
