Antimicrobials: Healthcare's Silver Bullet Against HAIs?

There are numerous commercially available antimicrobial compounds that manufacturers use in and on medical devices. Microban Products Company engineers its Microban antimicrobial protection into a product during the manufacturing process so that it becomes an intrinsic part of the item inside and at the surface. When microbes come in contact with the product surface, Microban protection penetrates the cell wall of the microbe and disrupts key cell functions so that the microbe cannot function, grow or reproduce. Agion Technologies, Inc.’s silver-based antimicrobial also is built right into the surfaces of products. Depending on the microorganism, Agion’s antimicrobial technology has been shown to initially reduce microbial populate ions within minutes to hours while maintaining optimal performance for years. A popular antimicrobial for catheter application is AcryMed’s SilvaGard antimicrobial surface treatment, comprised of nanoparticle technology in a liquid form for nano-silver application to any surface of any medical device without changing its intended properties.