Literature

Publications

A new way to contain hospital-acquired infections
Introductory brochure highlighting the potential role of copper alloy touch surfaces in combatting healthcare-aquired infection. International Copper Association, Ltd. (September 2008)

Solid Defence Against Harmful Microbes
Introductory brochure highlighting the latest research on copper's antimicrobial properties and giving details of the US EPA registration of copper alloys as antimicrobial materials. International Copper Association, Ltd. (September 2008)

SMART Materials, a designer's handbook
Interactive handbook on SMART materials for designers, including a section on 'antimicrobials', featuring copper and copper alloys for medical workplace and food preparation surfaces and for medical devices with a status rating of 'green' for 'widely available and affordable'. 2008. (Registration and login required.)

African Health Care Initiative
CDA Africa publication on a programme to develop sustainable rural health clinics and copper's role in providing hygienic surfaces, clean drinking water and energy. Includes an overview of the work of Professor Shaheen Mehta, University of Stellenbosch, on antimicrobial effect of copper on multi-drug resistant bacteria including tuberculosis. (February 2008)

Pub 192 - Clinical uses of copper
CDA article by Angela Vessey on the potential use of copper and copper alloys for hygienic healthcare touch surfaces, published in Cleanroom Technology magazine. (June 2007)

Pub 190 - Copper clinical trial
CDA publication giving an overview of the UK clinical trial at Selly Oak, Birmingham.

Pub 189 - Lowering infection rates in hospitals and healthcare facilities
Overview of copper's potential role in fighting hospital-acquired infections. Contains information on copper's antimicrobial efficacy, general properties and essential role in human, animal and plant health. (March 2007)

Pub 182 - Naturally antimicrobial alloys for touch surfaces
CDA leaflet summarising how years of research show that copper alloys can begin to stop the growth of microbes on contact and can swiftly and effectively eliminate them. (September 2007)

Pub 180 - Copper touch surfaces in healthcare facilities - naturally antimicrobial
CDA leaflet summarising latest research into activation of MRSA by copper and looking at potential touch surface applications in healthcare facilities. (August 2005)

Brass and copper containers for water purification in rural India
University of Northumbria presentation by Professor Rob Reed on the use of traditional brass and copper water storage vessels (muktas) to provide clean drinking water in rural India. (2005)

Copper in my Medicine Chest
CDA Inc. article by William H Dresher on medical applications of copper, looking at historical and current uses. (June 2000)

Doorknobs: a source of nosocomial infection?
Diagnostic Medicine article by Dr Phyllis J Kuhn which discusses the unique bactericidal properties of copper and its alloys. This was the first clinical observation that copper surfaces could have a role to play in reducing transmission of infection. (Nov/Dec 1983)

Scientific Papers

Copper for Preventing Microbial Environmental Contamination , A L Casey, P A Lambert, L Miruszenko, T S J Elliott. Poster presented at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), October 2008.

Antimicrobial efficacy of copper surfaces against spores and vegetative cells of Clostridium difficile: the germination theory
L. J. Wheeldon, T. Worthington, P. A. Lambert, A. C. Hilton, C. J. Lowden and T. S. J. Elliott, Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2008 62(3):522-525; doi:10.1093/jac/dkn219.

Survival of Clostridium difficile on copper and steel: Futuristic options for hospital hygiene
Weaver L et al., J Hosp Infect (2008), doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2007.11.011

The antimicrobial activity of copper and copper alloys against nosocomial pathogens and Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from healthcare facilities in the Western Cape: an in-vitro study.
Mehtar S, Wiid I, Todorov S D, J Hosp Infect. 2008 Jan;68(1):45-51. Epub 2007 Dec 11.

Inactivation of Influenza A virus on copper versus stainless steel surfaces.
Noyce J O, Michels H T, Keevil C W, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Apr. 2007, p. 2748–2750.

Use of copper cast alloys to control Escherichia coli O157 cross-contamination during food processing.
Noyce J O, Michels H T and Keevil C W, Applied and Environmental Microbiology 72:4239-44 (2006).

Potential use of copper surfaces to reduce survival of epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the healthcare environment.
Noyce J O, Michels H T and Keevil C W, Journal of Hospital Infection 62:289-97 (2006).

Survival of Listeria monocytogenes Scott A on metal surfaces: implications for cross-contamination.
Wilks S A, Michels H T, Keevil C W, Int J Food Microbiol, Sep 1;111(2):93-8. Epub 2006 Jul 28.

The survival of E.coli O157 on a range of metal surfaces.
Wilks S A, Michels H T, Keevil C W, The International Journal of Food Microbiology 105:445-454 (2005).

Copper Alloys for Human Infectious Disease Control.
Michels H T, Wilks S A, Noyce J O, Keevil C W. Materials Science and Technology Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, (Sept 2005).

Inactivation of Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria in traditional brass and earthenware water storage vessels
Chhibber, Sanjay, Reed, Robert, Tandon, Puja, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, (2005) 88:35 –4, 14 pages.