Copper (Cu) for Reducing Environmental Healthcare Associated Infections (CuRE HAI): A 10-year pragmatic copper...

Area of Science:

• Infection Control and Prevention
• Materials Science in Healthcare
• Public Health

Background:

• Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant cause of patient morbidity and mortality.
• The study investigated the efficacy of novel copper-oxide infused polymer resin surfaces in hospital environments.
• Copper surfaces were introduced to mitigate HAIs in patient care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of copper-oxide infused surfaces in reducing HAIs.
• To assess the impact of copper surfaces on infection rates in hospitalized patients.
• To determine the antimicrobial and antisporicidal properties of copper surfaces in a clinical setting.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study (January 2014-December 2023) involved replacing high-touch surfaces with copper-oxide infused polymer resin (16-20% copper oxide).
• Monthly HAI onset was monitored for all hospital admissions using predefined criteria.
• A Bayesian hierarchical Poisson model analyzed the effect of copper surfaces on monthly HAI rates.

Main Results:

• Over 120 months, 543 HAIs occurred, with rates decreasing from 27.6 to 20.8 per 10,000 bed days of care post-installation.
• The incidence rate ratio for copper across all infections was 0.51 (95% CI: 0.25, 0.95), indicating a significant reduction.
• Copper surfaces demonstrated a substantial decrease in HAI incidence.

Conclusions:

• Implementation of copper components in patient care environments shows promise for preventing HAIs.
• The continuous antimicrobial and antisporicidal activity of copper surfaces likely contributes to reduced HAI rates.
• Novel copper surfaces represent a viable strategy for enhancing hospital infection control measures.