Neuter bacteria with silver
October 30th 2007 On trial for a year at an outpatient ward at Heartlands Hospital, silver-based BioCote products reduced bacteria levels in the environment by over 95 per cent compared to a similar outpatient ward without the products.
The environmental trial compared two out-patient wards in the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust: one at Heartlands Hospital, containing furniture and equipment with BioCote antimicrobial protection; and one containing standard untreated items.
BioCote protected products contain silver, a natural antimicrobial, with a high efficacy against bacteria, mould and fungi. When micro- organisms come into contact with the silver, their ability to reproduce is inhibited.
Results from the trials show that the facility at Heartlands, which contained BioCote protected products, had 95.8 per cent less bacteria present in the environment than the ward without. The products tested in the trials included waste bins, blinds, tiles, door handles and light switches.
Initial indications show that using silver-based products in a hospital environment can lead to a reduction in bacterial colonisation, resulting in a more hygienic environment for patients. With fewer bacteria in the environment, logically the risks of coss contamination are reduced and consequently the risks of patients being infected with superbugs such as MRSA are reduced.
In addition, the results showed that within the facility at Heartlands, furniture and equipment with BioCote protection harboured 92.6 per cent less bacteria than those without protection. The results prove that silver can complement cleaning and hygiene practices, working in-between cleans to reduce levels of bacteria on BioCote protected equipment.
The study also showed that BioCote protected products can help reduce bacteria on unprotected products within their vicinity, thereby reducing the overall levels of bacteria in the complete environment. Standard equipment and furniture which were in the ward alongside BioCote protected products saw a 43.5 per cent reduction in bacteria on their surface than standard products in the ward without the silver-based protection.
The collaboration between the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust and BioCote began in May 2006, when Heartlands was the first in the UK to equip an out-patient facility with furniture and equipment that had BioCote antimicrobial protection. As soon as the facility had been in use for 12 months, tests began to compare the products with and without the protection and also to compare the facility to a similar ward which contained just standard hospital equipment.
To make the study as consistent as possible, both environments were out-patient wards with a similar through-flow of patients. All testing was carried out at an independent laboratory (Al Control, based in Shrewsbury). The study has concentrated on bacteria counts on the surface of objects (in the form of TVCs) and does not identify actual organisms at this stage.
“We believe that this initial study in conjunction with the NHS helps to justify the use of BioCote protected products,” says BioCote md, Matthew Harte. “These initial findings indicate that the NHS should be increasing its use of BioCote protected products to help support hygiene practices within healthcare environments, leading to reduced HCAI (healthcare-associated infection) rates.”
With NHS Trusts facing increasing pressure from The Healthcare Commission to improve hygiene standards, BioCote says its products clearly demonstrate they can complement cleaning and hand hygiene practises by lowering bacterial counts in ward environments.
For further information, just  click here.
More articles from BioCote Ltd: | 
