Production and Efficacy Testing of Antimicrobial Fabrics for use in Hospitals

Nosocomial infections Infections associated with treatment in a hospital or health care unit. In the EU:
• As many as 1 in 10 patients affected
• Responsible for more than 50,000 deaths each year
• Financial impacts adding burden to health care sector
• Transplant patients, immuno-compromised patients and premature babies at particular risk Antimicrobial textiles
•Textiles of all varieties are very proficient at carrying bacteria and serving as a reservoir in transmission of infection
•A great demand exists for antimicrobial finished textiles to limit bacterial growth and reduce the spread of infections. Possible role in hospitals to help reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections
•Many antimicrobial textiles are available but there are concerns over their safety and the long term efficacy of the antimicrobial agents used (e.g. silver)
•The Sonochemistry Centre at Coventry University part of an EU Framework 7 project to develop a sonochemical process for the impregnation of textiles with antimicrobial metal oxide nanoparticles (zinc oxide and copper oxide).
•The project is a collaboration between 16 partners from 10 different European countries. The partners involved range from fabric manufacturers to medical end users. Further details can be found on the project website at: www.fp7-sono.eu.