ICU BED WITH
LICENCE
TO KILL
VIRUSES
Meet the weapon against HAI (Healthcare-Associated Infections) ACENS+ is the first hybrid antibacterial bed for the ICU. It has very high utility parameters and comprehensive functionality, but these are not its most important virtues. The bed’s construction incorporates two technologies most effective in the fight against harmful microorganisms – nanotechnology of silver particles (in the plastic elements) and copper compounds with strong antimicrobial properties (present on the bed’s touch surfaces, e.g. on the side guardrails). Thanks to the latter property, it is justifiable to call ACENS+ a antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral product.
A bed with a license to kill viruses Copper and its compounds have been known for their antibacterial for centuries. Currently there are already large numbers of scientific studies confirming its effectiveness. The list of potential “victims” of copper used on the touch surfaces of ACENS+ is truly long and continues to grow as results of subsequent studies are published. Apart from viruses, the list also contains bacteria, microbes and fungi, even those resistant to medicine. Studies have also shown that even small amounts of copper on a surface (e.g. the metal’s ions placed in filters or cloth fibers) can effectively deactivate HIV-1.
The case of Ebola At the moment there are no complete scientific studies confirming the effectiveness of antimicrobial copper against the Ebola virus. There are, however, many reasons to assume that a thorough analysis of this subject in the highest tier Bio-Safety Level 4 class laboratories should not result in any negative surprises in this area: •
http://www.southampton.ac.uk/biosci/news/2009/07/23_copper_ can_help_in_the_battle_againstinfluenza.page; •
Contact killing of microbes by copper surfaces Species
Killing time, RT*
Salmonella enterica
4h
Species
Killing time, RT*
Campylobacter jejuni
8h
MRSA NCTC 10442
75 min, 7 log decrease
Escherichia coli O157
65 min
Escherichia coli W3110
1 min
Acinetobacter johnsonii DSM6963
Escherichia coli O157
75 min
MRSA** (NCTC10442)
45 min
A few minutes
Pantoeastewartii DSM30176
1 min
Pseudomonas oleovorans DSM 1045
EMRSA-1*** (NCTC11939)
60 min
EMRSA-16*** (NCTC13143)
90 min
1 min
Listeriamonocytogenes Scott A
60 min
Staphylococcus warnerii DSM 20316
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
5 to 15 days****
A few minutes
60 min
Brachybacterium conglomeratum DSM10241
Candida albicans
A few minutes
Klebsiella pneumoniae
60 min
Aspergillus flavus
120 h
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
180 min
Aspergillus fumigatus
> 120 h
Acinetobacter baumannii
180 min
Aspergillus niger
> 576 h
MRSA
180 min
Fusarium culmonium
24 h
Influenza A virus (H1N1)
6 h, 4-log decrease
Fusarium oxysporum
24 h
Fusarium solani
24 h
C. difficile (ATCC9689) vegetative cells and spores
24–48 h
Penicillium crysogenum
24 h
C. difficile NCTC11204/R20291 vegetative cells
Candida albicans
24 h
30 min
Enterococcus hirae ATCC 9790
90 min
C. difficile dormant spores
Unaffected 3 h
Different Enterococcus spp.
60 min
C. difficile germinating spores
3 h, 3-log decrease
Candida albicans
5 min
Saccharomy cescerevisiae
30 s
Pseudomon asaeruginosa PAO1
120 min
HIV-1
3 days *****
* ** *** **** *****
RT, room temperature; only the values for the most efficient alloy are reported. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Epidemicmethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Time before strain became culture positive in Bactec 12B growth medium after exposure to copper. The exact time is not known, the value of three days is due to the study methodology. Source: Sagripanti, J.L., and M.M. Lightfoote. 1996. Cupric and ferric ions inactivate HIV. AIDS Res. Hum. Retrovir. 12:333-337.] Applied and environmental microbiology, Mar. 2011, p. 1541–1547
The Ebola virus has a similar structure to the H1N1 type flu virus, which is deactivated by copper
As a lipophilic virus, Ebola is classified in the group most susceptible to chemical activity. According to the provisions of the nrEN 14476 norm regarding chemical disinfectants (Chemical disinfectants and antiseptics – Virucidal quantitative suspension test for chemical disinfectants and antiseptics used in human medicine – Test method and requirements (phase 2, step 1), it is much more difficult to deactivate hydrophilic viruses or ones with lower hydrophilic properties. Out of those, the European Committee for Standardization considers the Poliovirus and the Adenovirus as model examples. Both are deactivated on copper surfaces. Can J Microbiol. 1992 May; 38(5): 430-5. Inactivation of coliphage MS-2 and poliovirus by copper, silver, and chlorine. Yahya MT(1), Straub T.M., Gerba C.P. http://www.copperairquality.org/antimicrobial/viruses.html
•
The effectiveness of antimicrobial copper in the deactivation of viruses classified in the more difficult groups (especially the Poliovirus) can be a basis to assume, that it is also effective against the Ebola virus (according to the provisions of the prEN 14476 norm). The only question which requires further study would be the time needed to deactivate the virus. It seems justifiable to expect that this time would be close to 6h, as this is the time needed to deactivate the H1N1 type flu virus, which is also classified in the lipophilic virus group.
Continued antiviral campaign One of the greatest benefits of ACENS+ is the fact, that the process of deactivating viruses, bacteria and fungi takes place on its surface spontaneously. This allows for a significant reduction in the costs of infection prevention actions, but most of all, limits the risk associated with any possible human errors, such as imprecise disinfection, accidental contact with the patient’s secretion, lack of proper hand hygiene, or lack of proper decontamination of medical personnel clothing.
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