Silver Foil on High-touch Surfaces Could Reduce Risk of Hospital Infections

New research presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) revealed that covering high-touch hospital surfaces with silver-impregnated foil could reduce levels of contamination by bacterial pathogens, EurekAlert reports.

Researchers from the University Hospital Basel in Basel, Switzerland evaluated the antimicrobial effectiveness of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foil containing an integrated silver-based agent comprised of 2% silver ions. They were seeking an alternative solution to constantly disinfecting surfaces at a hospital “which would make it difficult for pathogens to survive and would require less thorough cleaning to achieve a safe environment in patient rooms,” according to the study news release.

After determining which high-touch surfaces were most likely to quickly become contaminated with pathogens, researchers covered these surfaces with the “auto-disinfectant” foil. When testing them for pathogens, they found these surfaces were 60 times less contaminated than those not covered in foil. They also discovered that the foil-covered surfaces were less likely to harbor various strains of bacteria like Enterococci for up to six months.

The researchers concluded that auto-disinfectant foils would be a good solution for keeping certain health care facility areas, such as transplant units, pathogen-free. The foil could also help stop the spread of infectious diseases during outbreaks, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.