title: Antimicrobial activity of copper surfaces against carbapenemase-producing contemporary Gram-negative clinical isolates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The antimicrobial activity of copper surfaces against a variety of contemporary carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria representative of the most problematic nosocomial pathogens worldwide was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four clinical isolates, comprising four of Escherichia coli, two of Enterobacter spp., eight of Klebsiella pneumoniae and five each of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii producing either VIM-1 and/or KPC-2 or VIM-2 or OXA-type carbapenemases, were studied. The antimicrobial activity of 99% copper (Cu99%) and a 63% alloy (Cu63%) was evaluated in comparison with that of stainless steel (SS) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) by incubating ∼10(6) cfu/cm(2) of the tested strains on each surface at room temperature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Copper demonstrated antimicrobial activity against all studied isolates. This effect was observed earlier and was more pronounced for Cu99% than for Cu63%. Cu99% showed a bactericidal effect after <2 h for A. baumannii, 3 h for Enterobacter spp., 5 h for K. pneumoniae and 6 h for P. aeruginosa and E. coli. No viable colonies were recovered from five (20.8%) isolates after 3 h and from nine (37.5%) isolates after 5 h of incubation on Cu99%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Copper has significant antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant nosocomial Gram-negative pathogens. This supports the hypothesis that replacement of high-contact materials with copper could reduce the high burden of environmental contamination around high-risk patients. However, this strategy should be seen as an adjunctive measure to established cleaning protocols and to good hygiene practices for prevention of hospital-acquired infections.
authors.affiliation: 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Athens University School of Medicine, University General Hospital 'Attikon', 1 Rimini Str. 124 62, Chaidari, Athens, Greece. msouli@med.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Souli
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Galani
authors.forename: Diamantis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Plachouras
authors.forename: Theofano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Panagea
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Armaganidis
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petrikkos
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Giamarellou
mesh_terms: D000497:Alloys / Q000494:pharmacology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003300:Copper; D001618:beta-Lactamases; C063912:carbapenemase