A new study will analyze various combinations of materials for this purpose

Jul 9, 2012 16:05 GMT  ·  By

Currently, hospital-acquired infections pose an extreme danger for patients committed in these institutions. The surfaces doctors, patients and visitors come into contact with are the main vector of propagation, so researchers are currently interested in learning if other surfaces may prevent infections.

Hospitals are very dangerous places, in terms of microbial risks, because they feature the highest concentrations of drug-resistant microorganisms. Pathogens include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and so on.

These organisms, and others, cause conditions including ventilator-associated pneumonia, tuberculosis, urinary tract infections, Legionnaires' disease, and Gastroenteritis. In the United States alone, some 99.000 people die from these conditions every year.

Investigators at the University of California in Los Angeles have begun an investigation into the type of surfaces commonly used in hospitals. They want to discover what material or combination of materials would be most efficient inside hospitals, for reducing acquired infection rates. Updates to follow.