Witness the Power of Antimicrobial Copper
Approximately 7 million people worldwide acquire a healthcare-associated infection (HAI) each year, and of the 4 million in Europe, around 37,000 die. In addition to the immeasurable personal toll, they cost over $80 billion globally, according to the World Health Organisation.
Microbes that thrive on objects we touch every day cause these infections. Despite aggressive hand washing campaigns and routine cleaning, infection rates remain unacceptably high and more needs to be done. Antibiotic-resistant organisms have spread from the healthcare environment to schools, homes and public transportation. In addition, antimicrobial resistance – the theme of World Health Day 2011 – and its global spread, threatens the continued effectiveness of many medicines used today to treat infectious diseases.
Researchers are now looking at new ways to prevent the transmission of significant pathogens such as MRSA. Laboratory and clinical tests have shown that copper can destroy such pathogens.
This is why we invite you to see a live experiment, led by Professor William Keevil, microbiological researcher and Director of the Environmental Healthcare Unit at the University of Southampton, that will show the efficacy of antimicrobial copper, scientifically proven to be the most effective touch surface material.
To witness, live from the lab, the power of antimicrobial copper, join us on the 4th of April on www.antimicrobialtouchsurface.com. You will not only be able to see microbes dying on copper with your own eyes, but you can interact via web chat with copper experts.
About the University:
The University of Southampton is a leading UK teaching and research institution with a global reputation for leading-edge research and scholarship across a wide range of subjects in engineering, science, social sciences, health and humanities.
With over 22,000 students, around 5000 staff, and an annual turnover well in excess of £400 million, the University of Southampton is acknowledged as one of the country's top institutions for engineering, computer science and medicine. We combine academic excellence with an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to research, supporting a culture that engages and challenges students and staff in their pursuit of learning.
The University is also home to a number of world-leading research centres including the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, the Optoelectronics Research Centre, the Web Science Research Initiative, the Centre for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, the Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute and is a partner of the National Oceanography Centre at the Southampton waterfront campus.
About The European Copper Institute:
The European Copper Institute (ECI) is a joint venture between the world’s leading mining companies, custom smelters and semi-fabricators (represented by the International Copper Association, Ltd) and the European copper industry. Its mission is to promote copper’s benefits to modern society across Europe through its headquarters in Brussels and its network of eleven national Copper Development Associations.