Metallic copper surfaces kill microbes on contact, literally in minutes, by causing massive membrane damage after about a minute's exposure, according to a paper published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
However, Dr. Grass cautions that "metallic copper surfaces will never be able to replace other hygiene-improving methods already in effect," although they "will certainly decrease the costs associated with hospital-acquired infections and curb human disease as well as save lives." He expects this strategy to be inexpensive because "the effect does not wear off."
Additionally, the researchers provide strong evidence that genotoxicity through mutations and DNA lesions is not a cause of dry copper's antimicrobial properties, meaning the lack of such mutations in bacteria from copper means that copper does not endanger humans.
It is important to note that only dry copper surfaces are lethal to bacteria. Bacteria can easily grow and reproduce in wet environments, and in so doing, they can develop resistance to copper. Resistance has not been observed to develop on dry copper surfaces.
Read the news release about dry metallic copper surfaces.
Read other coverage about infection control:
- Study: New Protocol Nearly Eliminates Infection in Spinal Surgery Patients
- Researchers Suggest ICD-9 Should Not Be Used to Predict, Measure MRSA Infections
- Transfer Patterns, Transfer Rates Do Not Affect Transmission of MRSA
However, Dr. Grass cautions that "metallic copper surfaces will never be able to replace other hygiene-improving methods already in effect," although they "will certainly decrease the costs associated with hospital-acquired infections and curb human disease as well as save lives." He expects this strategy to be inexpensive because "the effect does not wear off."
Additionally, the researchers provide strong evidence that genotoxicity through mutations and DNA lesions is not a cause of dry copper's antimicrobial properties, meaning the lack of such mutations in bacteria from copper means that copper does not endanger humans.
It is important to note that only dry copper surfaces are lethal to bacteria. Bacteria can easily grow and reproduce in wet environments, and in so doing, they can develop resistance to copper. Resistance has not been observed to develop on dry copper surfaces.
Read the news release about dry metallic copper surfaces.
Read other coverage about infection control:
- Study: New Protocol Nearly Eliminates Infection in Spinal Surgery Patients
- Researchers Suggest ICD-9 Should Not Be Used to Predict, Measure MRSA Infections
- Transfer Patterns, Transfer Rates Do Not Affect Transmission of MRSA
