title: Copper continuously limits the concentration of bacteria resident on bed rails within the intensive care unit.
abstract: Cleaning is an effective way to lower the bacterial burden (BB) on surfaces and minimize the infection risk to patients. However, BB can quickly return. Copper, when used to surface hospital bed rails, was found to consistently limit surface BB before and after cleaning through its continuous antimicrobial activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Hubert H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Attaway Iii
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Fairey
authors.forename: Lisa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Steed
authors.forename: Harold T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Michels
authors.forename: Cassandra D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Salgado
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000187:drug effects*; D001513:Beds / Q000382:microbiology*; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D003300:Copper