Objects Closest to Patients are Most Contaminated, Survey Finds

The first stage of the U.S. Department of Defense-funded clinical trials exploring the role of hospital high-touch surfaces in the transmission of infectious pathogens has been completed and the researchers reported their findings today in a poster session at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in Washington, D.C.

The data presented describe the first results of a three-phase study where the bioload found on stainless steel, plastic and aluminum objects in intensive care unit rooms were measured. Phases two and three of the study are ongoing. During these phases, the bioload on identical objects made of microbiocidal copper will be measured to determine the effectiveness of copper at combating hospital-acquired infections.