A fascinating new study proves the antibacterial qualities of copper; news of prime importance to the medical industry. Apparently, contact with copper prevents bacteria from passing on genetic material, and may even be able to terminate them completely. The recent study published in the journal mBio, brings useful news in the fight against the superbugs that we’ve seen so much of in the news.
Most hospital surfaces are made of stainless steel, which actually supports the life of bacteria. The research intended to find a material that would provide a safer alternative. It was discovered during the research that bacteria can survive for several weeks on a stainless steel surface. Incredibly, the same bacteria died very quickly when placed on copper or copper alloy surfaces. The copper element did not only kill the bacteria but also permanently destroyed their DNA, effectively ending the possibility of spread.
The news is welcomed by the medical industry, and forms an important contribution to new policies of environmental control. It is now clear that the surfaces people touch play a big role in the transmission of disease. This is of great importance not only for hospitals, but also for public buildings and mass transport systems. For the last decade, the whole world has lived in fear of the spread of drug-resistant superbugs – bird flu and swine flu, to name the two most famous examples. It is likely that the use of copper on a large scale would minimise the spread of such diseases in the future, and improve the wellness of us all.
The news has relevance to the world of complementary therapies too. While copper should not be thought of as a replacement for other hygiene practices, the information should be of some use for clinics and for those therapists working with metals. The results of this important study sees copper join silver as antibacterial agents; as such they are already being used by hospitals across the U.K. Research shows copper surfaces destroy 97% of bacteria, and reduce infection rates by 40%. The news is vital for all of us; for the sake of our national and international wellbeing.
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