Replacing frequently-touched surfaces with antimicrobial copper equivalents — teamed with good hygiene practices — could help address both the environmental spread of contamination and the rise of antibiotic resistance, according to an article on the News-Medical Net website.

Copper is a powerful antimicrobial with rapid, broad-spectrum efficacy against bacteria and viruses, and has been shown to kill disease-causing pathogens, including influenza A, E.coli and norovirus, and resistant bacteria including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE), the article said. 

"We’ve shown that antimicrobial copper touch surfaces produce a rapid kill of bacteria, viruses and fungi, usually within minutes," said Professor Professor Bill Keevil, Chair in Environmental Healthcare at the University of Southampton. 

"EPIC 3 — the national, evidence-based guidelines for preventing HCAIs in NHS Hospitals in England — recognize high-touch surfaces made from antimicrobial copper harbour 80-90 percent fewer bacteria than equivalent, non-copper surfaces. A multi-centre trial in the US further showed a concurrent 58 percent reduction in HCAIs in ICU rooms equipped with antimicrobial copper touch surfaces."

Read the article.