Isn't It Time We Build a Better Bed Rail?
Long before Sir Alexander Fleming's accidental discovery of
Penicillin in 1928, our ancestors were already putting the antimicrobial
effects of metal to use.
Metals such as copper and silver were used as vessels by ancient
civilizations to keep their water clean and safe to drink (1). Researchers have
also discovered a reference in an ancient Egyptian medical text known as the
Edwin Smith Papyrus (circa 1600 BCE), in which copper may have been used to
treat and prevent chest infection (2). This biocidal effect of certain heavy
metals is known as the Oligodynamic effect.
Oligodynamic
can be defined as "active or effective in very small quantities." The
concept is very simple: the metal ions are killing bacteria (3). Research has
determined the cause to be electric charges between the bacterial cell membrane
and the metal ions. Using the example of copper, ions dissolved from the
surface of the metal bond to the membrane of the bacterial cell wall to create
an organocopper compound. These organocopper compounds continue to pull apart
the membrane of the bacteria and alter its shape (3). Exposure to copper can
damage bacterial respiration and DNA, which will ultimately inactivate and
destroy the cell (4).
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Copper was used thousands of years ago to
kill bacteria...Why are we not doing the same?
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Copper is already being tested in the medical field as well as in
hospitals to prevent the spread of nosocomial infections, such as
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or
vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE). Frequently touched surfaces
or busy areas can become a safe-haven for bacteria. In one study,
copper-prototype objects were substituted in the patient room of an ICU to test
the antimicrobial effects compared to items composed of other materials
(stainless steel, plastics, etc). Although only 7% of touch surfaces were replaced
by copper-prototypes, results showed more than a 50% reduction in infection
cases (1).
At this point in time, scientists continue to struggle to develop
new antibiotics faster than resistance is evolving. Maybe it's time that items
such as bed rails, door knobs, and faucet handles be composed of copper-
containing brass. The ancients knew this thousands of years ago. Why have we
not learned from their experience?
Additional research into bacteria and the Oligodynamic effect is
warranted, since it may be a very useful tool in the fight against the
increasing resistance of pathogenic bacteria.
Gabriel
Garza
Technical
Support Representative
HARDY
DIAGNOSTICS
