A comparative study to evaluate surface microbial contamination associated with copper-containing and stainless steel pens used by nurses in the critical care unit

American Journal of Infection Control

Volumn 39, Issue 8, 2011, Pages

  Casey, Anna L ^a   Karpanen, Tarja J ^a   Adams, Debra ^a   Lambert, Peter A ^b   Nightingale, Peter ^a   Miruszenko, Lisa ^a   Elliott, Tom S J ^a  

^a QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL   (United Kingdom)

^b ASTON UNIVERSITY   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Copper; microbial contamination; writing pens

Indexed keywords

2 PROPANOL; COPPER; STAINLESS STEEL;

ACINETOBACTER LWOFFII; ARTICLE; BACILLUS; BACTERIUM ISOLATION; COMPARATIVE STUDY; DISEASE TRANSMISSION; DISINFECTION; HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL; HUMAN; INFECTION RATE; INSTRUMENT; INTENSIVE CARE UNIT; MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION; MICROCOCCUS; NONHUMAN; NURSE; PATIENT CARE; RHIZOBIUM RADIOBACTER; ROOM TEMPERATURE; SPHINGOMONAS PAUCIMOBILIS; STORAGE; STREPTOCOCCUS ORALIS; TIME; WRITING; WRITING PEN;

ALLOYS; COLONY COUNT, MICROBIAL; COPPER; EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, HOSPITAL; EQUIPMENT CONTAMINATION; GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA; GRAM-POSITIVE COCCI; HANDWRITING; HUMANS; INTENSIVE CARE UNITS; NURSES; STAINLESS STEEL; SURFACE PROPERTIES;

EID: 80053575849     PISSN: 01966553     EISSN: 15273296     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2010.12.012     Document Type: Article

References (9)

1. C. Datz, A. Jungwirth, H. Dusch, G. Galcan, and T. Weiger What's on doctors' ball point pens Lancet 350 1997 1824 [letter] (Pubitemid 28036527)
2. G. French, D. Rayner, M. Branson, and M. Walsh Contamination of doctors' and nurses' pens with nosocomial pathogens Lancet 351 1998 213 [letter] (Pubitemid 28037020)
3. D. Banerjee, A. Fraise, and K. Chana Writing pens are an unlikely vector of cross-infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) J Hosp Infect 43 1999 73 75 (Pubitemid 29438099)
4. J.O. Noyce, H. Michels, and C.W. Keevil Potential use of copper surfaces to reduce survival of epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the healthcare environment J Hosp Infect 63 2006 289 297 (Pubitemid 43812185)
5. S. Mehtar, I. Wiid, and S.D. Todorov 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 J Hosp Infect 68 2008 45 51
6. The European Working Time Directive, the Council of Europe (93/104/EC). Available from: http://www.eu-working-directive.co.uk/directives/1993-working- time-directive.htm. Accessed March 11, 2011.
7. A.L. Casey, D. Adams, T.J. Karpanen, P.A. Lambert, B.D. Cookson, and P. Nightingale Role of copper in reducing hospital environment contamination J Hosp Infect 74 2010 72 77
8. Salgado CD, Morgan A, Sepkowitz KA, John JF, Cantey JR, Attaway HH, et al. A pilot study to determine the effectiveness of copper in reducing the microbial burden of objects in rooms of intensive care unit patients. Poster presentation, Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections; Atlanta, GA, March 19, 2010.
9. Prado V, Durán C, Crestto M, Gutierrez A, Sapiain P, Flores G, et al. Effectiveness of copper contact surfaces in reducing the microbial burden in the intensive care unit of Hospital del Cobre, Calama, Chile. Poster presentation, 14th International Conference on Infectious Diseases, Miami, FL, March 11, 2010.