New study published in USA recommends use of antimicrobial curtains

An independent study carried out by a US military hospital evaluated whether Endurocide^® Antimicrobial Plus Curtains can reduce pathogen contamination on curtains and so reduce the potential for HAI transmission. It also compared the annual cost difference between using Endurocide^® Antimicrobial Plus Curtains and traditional cotton curtains.

Published in the journal Infection Prevention in Practice, this study compared curtains by hanging new or laundered curtains  in acute care and maternity wards in the hospital for 20 weeks. The curtains used were:

• Endurocide^® Antimicrobial Plus Curtains (hung in 13 rooms).
• Traditional cotton curtains (hung in 2 rooms).

Bacterial swabs were taken at the start of the trial and 20 weeks after installation. Each room had between two and nine curtains and swabs were taken from both sides of the curtain from the area of the curtains at waist height, ie the part most frequently touched by staff and patients. To robustly evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the Endurocide^® Curtains, they remained in the rooms when inhabited by patients on "contact or droplet precautions," whereas cotton curtains were removed and laundered according to the hospital's infection control protocols.

For cost comparison, expense was calculated not only on initial purchase costs but also on staff time and laundry costs.

Results: bacterial reduction

Results: cost reduction

Conclusions:

The report concluded:

• "the data demonstrates that antimicrobial and sporicidal curtains decrease bacterial count after installation."
• Endurocide^® Antimicrobial Plus Curtains "provide a passive infection prevention method to mitigate the transmission of hospital associated pathogens during hospitalisation."

• In regards to costs, the report quotes potential savings of over $20,000 annually as well as saving approximately 70 hours of staff time in curtain changes.

• "These findings suggest similar facilities should consider implementing these curtains as our results suggest the possibility to improve patient outcomes and decrease costs."