An Overview of the Options for Antimicrobial Hard Surfaces in Hospitals - Use of Biocidal Surfaces for Reduction of Healthcare Acquired Infections - page 148

Author/
year

Antimicrobial
surface Location Setting Design Sampling schedule Findings Comment

Casey
2011
[ 73 ]

Birmingham,
UK

Two critical
care units

Copper alloy (85 %) Prospective randomized

observational study.
Contamination of
randomly assigned
copper or stainless steel
control pens during a
12.5 h shift

Twenty-five copper and
25 control pens sampled
using swabs immediately
after a 12.5 h shift; a
second set of 50 pens
sampled after storage at
room temperature for
11 h following the end of
the shift

Contamination rate and
median cfu count
significant lower for
copper pens after 11 h
storage; cfu count only
significantly lower for
copper pens immediately
after shift

None of the pathogens
infecting or colonizing
the patient who was
being cared for were
cultured from the pens

Casey
2010
[ 71 ]

Birmingham,
UK

Acute medical
ward

Copper alloys
(60-70 % Cu)

Cross-over; three copper
alloy items (toilet seat,
tap handles, push plate)
vs. control items made
from other materials

Swabs used to sample copper
items and matched
controls in duplicate once
weekly at 0700 or 1,700
for 10 weeks. Items
crossed-over after
5 weeks, at the study
mid-point

Significant 90-100 %
reduction in bacterial
contamination in 9/10
paired control/copper
items; indicator
pathogens isolates from
control but not copper
items; less 'hygiene fails'
on copper items

Items installed 6 months prior
to study start so that staff
became accustomed to
them. No MRSA or
C. difficile was identified
throughout the study.
Funded by CDA

Marais
2010
[ 124 ]

Grabouw,
South Africa

Walk-in
primary
care clinic

Copper (99.9 %) Prospective observational

study. One of two similar
consulting rooms was
fitted with copper sheets
on the desk, two trolleys,
cupboard and windowsill

Swabs used to sample 12 sites
on the five surfaces in
both rooms daily from
Mon-Fri every sixth
week over 6 months.
Three samples collected
each day: pre-clean,
post-clean and
post-consultation

Significant 71 % reduction in
mean bacterial count on
copper surfaces (mean
count 5.9 10 4 cfu/cm 2
for copper
vs. 2.0

Residual contamination on
copper and control
surfaces differed up to
twofold after cleaning.
Substantial seasonal
temperature changes
(indoor range 15-33 C)
did not affect efficacy.
Funded by CDA

10 5 cfu/cm 2 for
control). Colony counts
similar over the weekend
when clinic unoccupied

Mikolay
2010
[ 76 ]

Hamburg,
Germany

Respiratory
and
geriatric
wards

Copper alloys
(concentration
not specified)

Prospective observational
study. Forty-eight push
plates, 48 door handles
and 48 light switches
replaced with copper
alloys

Direct agar contact
performed once or twice
per week for 16 weeks in
the summer and 16 weeks
in the winter; total
aerobic count and
presence of

Significant 22 % reduction in
bacterial count overall
(total 27,467 cfu on
copper vs. 35,249 on
controls); counts on push
plates and light switches
not significantly lower.
Counts of CRS were

Increase in mean cfu after
cleaning was 12-14 cfu/h
on copper vs. 22-33 cfu/h
on controls. Funded by
the German Copper
Institute