Cutting rates of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C.Diff) is a key priority for healthcare professionals. Recently in my earlier blog, I did mention that they were able to culture many bacterii from the cell phones of the health workers !.
Thogh govts., are taking many intiatives with sterlisation of the instrements, the rooms still something has to be done. But this is really something interesting which I read recently and want to share with...
Miss Zoie Aiken and her colleagues presented the work at the Society for General Microbiology meeting in Harrogate on 31 March, 2009. The veneer-like surface, made of titanium dioxide with added nitrogen. When it is activated by white light, similar to those used in hospital wards and operating theatres, it produced a decrease in the number of bacteria surviving on the test surface. Really interesting and the basis for this research is that "Titanium dioxide based coatings can kill bacteria after activation with UV light. The addition of nitrogen to these coatings enables photons available in visible light to be utilised to activate the surface and kill bacteria".
The following are the conclusions :
1. the activity of the coating is assessed against a range of different bacteria such as MRSA and other organisms which are known to cause infections in hospitals. At present researchers claim that the coating is active against Escherichia coli. However, E. coli is more difficult to kill than bacteria from the Staphylococcus group which includes MRSA and the results to date are encouraging.
2. the coating has currently been applied onto glass using a method called APCVD (atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition and the researchers want to try out plastic.
Once again congrats and best wishes for further research..
Source : http://www.sgm.ac.uk/
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