Novel Antimicrobial Surface Coatings And The Potential For Reduced Fomite Transmission Of SARS And Other Pathogens

Surface bio-contamination is a problem that contributes to outbreaks of community-acquired and nosocomial infection through episodic fomite transmission of disease and through persistent fomitic reservoirs. The extent to which fomitic reservoirs contribute to the overall extent of nosocomial infection is unknown, but fomites are known to play some role in the transmission of many diseases, including SARS. Faster surface die-off of pathogens on a surface can significantly reduce the amount of time that a fomitic reservoir is capable of transmitting disease, and can also reduce the average surface population of pathogens available for transmission to a susceptible host. Effective routine chemical disinfection is difficult because strong chemical solutions must be applied correctly and left in contact with surfaces for prolonged periods of time. Many materials are not amenable to such treatments, and many clinical environments do not accommodate them easily. Exotic metal-containing antimicrobial surface materials provide broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity through the controlled release of metal ions. Zeolites are porous crystal-structured aluminosilicate particles that can be manufactured with metal ions within their pores and are capable of releasing ions at a controlled rate for many years, while withstanding the heat and pressures typical of manufacturing processes. A readily-available formulation of silver-zinc zeolite (AgION Technologies, Inc, Wakefield, MA) has proven effective against a variety of pathogens in a variety of environments, and has been incorporated in a number of different materials of potential use in healthcare. An initial experimental study of SARS inactivation by silver zeolite antimicrobial powder has shown inactivation in bulk suspension within as little as two hours. Real-world silver zeolite surfaces routinely achieve surface silver ion concentrations much higher than those achieved in bulk suspension, thus likely can reduce the survival time of SARS on treated surfaces to two hours or less.