Copper Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are under way at hospitals around the world, providing a variety of ward types (geriatric, intensive care and general medical), local clinical strains of organisms and national healthcare settings to put copper and copper alloys to the test. The first results, from the Selly Oak trial, show a 90-100% reduction in contamination on copper vs standard surfaces, leading trial leader Prof. Tom Elliott to conclude:

“The findings of a 90 to 100% killing of those organisms, even after a busy day on a medical ward with items being touched by numerous people, is remarkable. So it may well offer us another mechanism for trying to defeat the spread of infection."

These findings have since been supported by results from other trials, as reported below, and hospitals around the world are starting to specify antimicrobial copper touch surfaces as an additional weapon in the fight against infection.

• Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, UK
  • Suppliers
  • Products
• Asklepios Hospital, Hamburg, Germany
• USA and Chile Trials
• Other Trials

Selly Oak, UK

A Copper Clinical Trial commenced at the end of 2007 at Selly Oak Hospital, part of the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust, to assess copper’s ability to reduce reservoirs of infection and therefore reducing the risk of infection when it is directly integrated in a hospital environment.

The first results were presented at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in Washington, 28th October 2008. The study found that, when tested, items made from copper had 90-100% fewer micro-organisms on them, compared with the same items made out of standard materials.

In the test ward, frequently touched surfaces were identified and replaced with copper-containing items including: door handles, push plates, sink taps, grab rails, dressing trolleys, over-bed tables, toilet seats and light switches. These items were used and evaluated over a period of 18 months, in order to observe the effects on environmental microbial loads.

The study is being carried out jointly by the University Hospital Birmingham and Aston University, under the leadership of Professors Tom Elliott and Peter Lambert who have considerable expertise and an international reputation regarding the interaction between bacteria and surfaces in the clinical environment.

On the latest status of the trial, Prof Elliott explains:

“The findings of a 90 to 100% killing of those organisms, even after a busy day on a medical ward with items being touched by numerous people, is remarkable. So it may well offer us another mechanism for trying to defeat the spread of infection."

Role of copper in reducing hospital environment contamination
A.L. Casey, D. Adams, T.J. Karpanen, P.A. Lambert, B.D. Cookson, P. Nightingale, L. Miruszenko, R. Shillam, P. Christian and T.S.J. Elliott, J Hosp Infect (2009), doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2009.08.018.
The environment may act as a reservoir for pathogens that cause healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). Approaches to reducing environmental microbial contamination in addition to cleaning are thus worthy of consideration. Copper is well recognised as having antimicrobial activity but this property has until now not been applied to the clinical setting.

ICAAC poster: Copper for Preventing Microbial Environmental Contamination, A L Casey, P A Lambert, L Miruszenko, T S J Elliott. October 2008.

See the slide show below for some of the copper and copper alloy products being used in the test ward.

Videos and Images

Trial results and their significance
Prof Tom Elliott, UHB NHS Trust
4.5 mins, 8.8 MB

Copper products - practical aspects
Mark Tur, CDA Technical Consultant
4.5 mins, 10.8 MB

Installed products
With links to suppliers.

Partners

Copper Development Association is proud to be working with the following forward thinking companies who are providing antimicrobial materials, products and services. Details of available products can be found in the product catalogue.