Reduction of healthcare-associated infections in a long-term care brain injury ward by replacing regular linens with biocidal copper oxide impregnated linens.

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Reduction of healthcare-associated infections in a long-term care brain injury ward by replacing regular linens with biocidal copper oxide impregnated linens.

Int J Infect Dis. 2014 Jul;24:23-9

Authors: Lazary A, Weinberg I, Vatine JJ, Jefidoff A, Bardenstein R, Borkow G, Ohana N

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Contaminated textiles in hospitals contribute to endogenous, indirect-contact, and aerosol transmission of nosocomial related pathogens. Copper oxide impregnated linens have wide-spectrum antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Our aim was to determine if replacing non-biocidal linens with biocidal copper oxide impregnated linens would reduce the rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in a long-term care ward.
METHODS: We compared the rates of HAI in two analogous patient cohorts in a head injury care ward over two 6-month parallel periods before (period A) and after (period B) replacing all the regular non-biocidal linens and personnel uniforms with copper oxide impregnated biocidal products.
RESULTS: During period B, in comparison to period A, there was a 24% reduction in the HAI per 1000 hospitalization-days (p<0.05), a 47% reduction in the number of fever days (>38.5°C) per 1000 hospitalization-days (p<0.01), and a 32.8% reduction in total number of days of antibiotic administration per 1000 hospitalization-days (p<0.0001). Accordingly there was saving of approximately 27% in costs of antibiotics, HAI-related treatments, X-rays, disposables, labor, and laundry, expenses during period B.
CONCLUSIONS: The use of biocidal copper oxide impregnated textiles in a long-term care ward may significantly reduce HAI, fever, antibiotic consumption, and related treatment costs.

PMID: 24614137 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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