The need to improve infection control in the UK’s hospitals has brought Stockport based Cheadle Glass together with Salford’s CVD Technologies, The University of Salford is working in partnership with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) who are conducting tests on a new anti bacterial glass at Manchester Royal Infirmary.
Dr Howard Foster from the Centre for Parasitology and Disease Research, at the University of Salford, and Professor Eric Bolton of the HPA are currently testing the anti bacterial qualities of the special glass in laboratory tests on specific disease causing bacteria and in a hospital environment. Keith Flowers of Cheadle Glass said: “There is a chemical impregnated into the upper layers of the glass which has been proven, under laboratory conditions, to kill bacteria. What the team are doing now is to test just how effective the glass is in a real hospital environment. If the trials are a success the opportunities that this will present will be significant.”
The scientists, led by Professor David Sheel, are particularly interested in testing efficacy levels in different areas of a hospital and high risk areas such as operating theatres and sluice rooms as well as patient areas such as wards. He said: “In order to assess efficacy levels we are introducing test pieces of glass in different areas of the hospital – reducing bacterial numbers is one challenge but we will also be looking at the correlation to patient care, is it really helpful to patients’ health?
“Infection control is multi-faceted and there is no single magic solution. There are multiple pathways for infection transfer and the challenge is to limit as many as we can. I am confident that anti bacterial glass can be one of the solutions.”
A major innovation
The glass being tested is a major innovation in the world of glass design. Its antimicrobial action eliminates 99.9% of all bacteria that forms on its surface whilst also preventing the spread of fungi.
Silver ions are diffused into the upper layers of the glass – the ions interact with bacteria and destroy them by disabling their metabolism and disrupting their division mechanism.
Five seconds’ contact is enough to pick up 99% of bacteria from a contaminated surface. Although most micro-organisms are harmless to humans, some bacteria can have serious consequences by causing infection or disease.
The trials are expected to continue for two years.
For more information on Cheadle Glass visit www.cheadleglass.com or contact them on 0161 480 6644. For information on CVD Technologies visit www.cvdtechnologies.co.uk.
01 October 2009
Head Office & Main Showroom: Borron Street | Portwood | Stockport | Cheshire | SK1 2JD
