FAST? Complementary Disinfection for the Healthcare Environment

ABSTRACT: Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are all too common in today’s clinics. More than 1.7 million ca es of transmission occur annually and often the implicated infectious organisms are transferred from inanimate objects capable of sustaining their viability. The disinfection methods that are used routinely in hospitals today are imperfect. The available and accepted methods for minimizing patient-to-patient transmission include: 1. improved cleaning and disinfection of room surfaces, 2. implementation of 'no touch' methods for terminal room disinfection, e.g. ultraviolet light or hydrogen peroxide, and 3. use of 'self-disinfecting' surfaces to reduce the surface bioburden. Current 'self-disinfecting' clinical surfaces with the antibacterial label are limited to those fabricated from copper metal and painted surfaces incorporating quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). In the proposed effort, antimicrobial composite paints and composite epoxy flooring incorporating novel copper additives are formulated and evaluated for effectiveness against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The major elements of the specific aims of the proposed research involves: 1. The synthesis and characterization of ion exchange biocides, formulation into coating substrat s, and 2.The evaluation of the time-dependent biological performance of the modified composites.