Washable Keyboards and Mice Offer Advantages in the Healthcare Environment

DALLAS — With researchers reporting that disinfectant wipes used in hospitals may spread drug-resistant bacteria rather than kill them, Unotron, worldwide originators and first-to-market green-friendly washable keyboards and mice, points to the efficacy of its patented SpillSeal® technology, which can be cleaned and disinfected without injuring functionality. 

 "According to the researchers, the practice of using one wipe to clean several surfaces before throwing it away is likely to result in the spread of potentially deadly MRSA infections," says Joseph Carabello, director of Unotron, pointing to research conducted by Gareth Williams, MD, of Cardiff University into cleaning methods used in intensive care units.

 Carabello says that this raises important issues that impact not only the spread of MRSA but also hospital finances and the environment.

 "It is far less expensive to acquire Unotron technologies, which have a multi-year life span than to continually replenish supplies of disposable wipes," adds Carabello.  "Furthermore, these disposables can undo the eco-friendly greening initiatives already underway at hospitals throughout the country, such as St. Anthony's MedicalCenter in St. Louis, which is converting to a 'green' cleaning process."

Several separate studies to confirm disinfection procedures of Unotron's patented SpillSeal® washable computer keyboards were conducted at Direct Laboratories, Wolverhampton, England; LibertyHealthMeadowlandsHospitalMedicalCenter, Secaucus, N.J.; and GrahamRegionalMedicalCenter, Graham, Texas. All sites reported that a kill rate of 100 percent can be achieved using disinfectant spray products. Additionally, Pathologists Associated tested and proved Unotron's technology at BallStateUniversity's Center for Information and Communication Sciences, stating that Unotron keyboards treated with MRSA, and then disinfected with a 10 percent bleach solution, showed no growth of MRSA culture after 60 minutes. 

Presenting at the 2008 conference of the American Society of Microbiology in Boston, Williams stated, "Wipes can be effective in removing, killing and preventing the transfer of pathogens such as MRSA but only if used in the right way. But high numbers of bacteria were transferred to other surfaces when some makes of wipe were reused. The most effective way is to prevent the risk of MRSA spread in hospital wards is to ensure the wipe is used only once on one surface." 

Source: Unotron