title: Reduction of healthcare-associated infections in a long-term care brain injury ward by replacing regular linens with biocidal copper oxide impregnated linens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Contaminated textiles in hospitals contribute to endogenous, indirect-contact, and aerosol transmission of nosocomial related pathogens. Copper oxide impregnated linens have wide-spectrum antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Our aim was to determine if replacing non-biocidal linens with biocidal copper oxide impregnated linens would reduce the rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in a long-term care ward.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the rates of HAI in two analogous patient cohorts in a head injury care ward over two 6-month parallel periods before (period A) and after (period B) replacing all the regular non-biocidal linens and personnel uniforms with copper oxide impregnated biocidal products.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During period B, in comparison to period A, there was a 24% reduction in the HAI per 1000 hospitalization-days (p<0.05), a 47% reduction in the number of fever days (>38.5°C) per 1000 hospitalization-days (p<0.01), and a 32.8% reduction in total number of days of antibiotic administration per 1000 hospitalization-days (p<0.0001). Accordingly there was saving of approximately 27% in costs of antibiotics, HAI-related treatments, X-rays, disposables, labor, and laundry, expenses during period B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of biocidal copper oxide impregnated textiles in a long-term care ward may significantly reduce HAI, fever, antibiotic consumption, and related treatment costs.
authors.affiliation: Brain Injury Division, Reuth Medical Center, 2 Ha'Hayil blvd, Tel Aviv 61092, Israel. Electronic address: lazary@reuth.org.il.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazary
authors.affiliation: Brain Injury Division, Reuth Medical Center, 2 Ha'Hayil blvd, Tel Aviv 61092, Israel.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Weinberg
authors.affiliation: Outpatient and Research Division, Reuth Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: J-J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Vatine
authors.affiliation: Brain Injury Division, Reuth Medical Center, 2 Ha'Hayil blvd, Tel Aviv 61092, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jefidoff
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Laboratory, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bardenstein
authors.affiliation: Cupron Scientific, Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borkow
authors.affiliation: Brain Injury Division, Reuth Medical Center, 2 Ha'Hayil blvd, Tel Aviv 61092, Israel.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohana
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001512:Bedding and Linens / Q000382:microbiology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003300:Copper / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004202:Disinfectants; D003300:Copper; C000520:cuprous oxide
keywords: Acquired brain injury; Clinical trial; Copper oxide; Healthcare-associated infections; Long-term care; Textiles