Image Credit: Interior Health

By Katlyn Eriksen

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SOUND OFF: Royal Inland Hospital’s emergency room uses antimicrobial copper to fight infection

Nov 22, 2024 | 6:00 AM

TECK RESOURCES LIMITED, a Vancouver-based resource company, made a $2.5 million contribution to Royal Inland Hospital’s new emergency department, which opened in Kamloops last month. This donation covered the installation of antimicrobial copper surfaces and equipment as part of an effort to prevent the spread of hospital-acquired diseases, improve hospital hygiene and, ultimately, strengthen patient care. In Canada and British Columbia, one in every nine hospital patients on average contracts a healthcare-associated infection, which is an infection acquired during a hospital stay. Fortunately, as copper has excellent antimicrobial qualities and kills over 99.9 per cent of harmful bacteria in under two hours, it’s a proven tool that can help the Royal Inland minimize this risk.

Copper kills bacteria, prevents antibiotic resistance

New research shows copper to be an effective weapon against spread of disease and bacteria in hospitals, particularly when installed in high-touch, high-traffic locations.

“We have seen that copper completely destroys the bacteria’s DNA in minutes so they can’t go on to become resistant,” says Professor Bill Keevil, Head of the Microbiology Group and Director of the Environmental Healthcare Unit at the University of Southampton in the UK. Keevil’s research into copper found that the metal “releases positively charged ions and reactive oxygen species, which quickly kill any bacterial cells that touch it”.

In addition to killing DNA, copper also completely destroys plasmids: ”circular pieces of DNA that confer antibiotic resistance”. Plasmids are big promoters of antibiotic resistance as they interact with different bacteria species and pass on the resistance to new kinds. As copper kills plasmids, it therefore helps prevent mutations and stops potential superbugs from developing resistance.

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Hospital superbugs: a growing concern in Canada

Canadian data shows that superbugs — strains of bacteria resistant to antibiotic drugs — are an increasing problem in hospitals. The most recent report from the Canadian Nosocomial Surveillance Program, for example, discovered increases across most antibiotic-resistant diseases, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), in hospitals between 2017 and 2021.

The Canadian Nosocomial Surveillance Program collects data from 88 hospitals nationwide to provide a general idea of what infections are most commonly acquired by patients during their hospital stays. At the same time, the rate of hospital-acquired infections has been found to be significantly lower among patients in ICU rooms with copper alloy surfaces than rates of infection in patients in standard ICU rooms, according to past randomized controlled trials. Rates of MRSA and VRE were monitored specifically.

Don’t underestimate importance of hospital cleaning

Hospital cleaning is also essential to keep Kamloops hospitals hygienic and subsequently protect patients from hospital-acquired diseases. This is backed up by science. For example, hospital-associated C. difficile infections fell by 36 per cent in Canada between 2009 and 2015, a study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal reveals. Researchers concluded that a more frequent and thorough hospital cleaning schedule was one of the main reasons for the decline in infection rates. Hospital floors, as one of the highest-traffic areas in the building, also require particular attention in order to kill pathogens and minimize cross-contamination throughout the facility. A daily cleaning schedule, in combination with occasional deep cleans, is essential to sterilize floors and improve patient safety.

Hospital-grade cleaning products are also a must in order to eliminate common pathogens. These are specialized cleaning agents that function as both a biocide — which kills harmful organisms — and virucide — which deactivates or destroys viruses. However, cleaning products, although powerful, aren’t enough on their own. The right technique is also needed to get the job done properly. This means the product should be used as the instructions dictate and with the right amount of pressure. High-touch surfaces like door handles, light switches, bed rails, grab bars and emergency buttons also require frequent cleaning.

The clever use of antimicrobial copper in the Royal Inland Hospital’s new emergency department promises to create a cleaner and more hygienic hospital stay for Kamloops patients. As hospital-acquired infections are on the rise, while the issue of superbugs also remains persistent, hygiene should remain a priority for patients and healthcare providers alike. Copper is a positive step forward that can help beat hospital infections and pave the way for a healthier Kamloops.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.