EOS SURFACES, LLC


Associated tags: Infection, Life, Bloodstream infections, Health, Candida auris, Nursing, Work, Copper, Patient, Mortality, Bacteria, Hand, Gram-positive bacteria, Spore, Caregiver, Auris, Vaccine, Pharmaceutical industry

COPPER-INFUSED SOLID SURFACE KILLS DRUG-RESISTANT FUNGUS PLAGUING NURSING HOMES

Retrieved on: 
Monday, August 14, 2023
Infection, Life, Bloodstream infections, Health, Candida auris, Nursing, Work, Copper, Patient, Risk, Mortality, Bacteria, Hand, Gram-positive bacteria, Spore, Caregiver, Auris, Vaccine, Pharmaceutical industry

NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past decade, an emerging threat has affected America's 1.3 million nursing home residents: Candida auris, a fungus that causes dangerous, often fatal, bloodstream infections. From the first case in 2013, this fungus is now the cause of over 2,300 cases, with a mortality rate of 30-60%. i This high death rate is due in part its resistance to all first-line antifungal treatments as well as many treatments of last resort. Candida auris is also extremely difficult to eradicate from surfaces, where it can live (and reproduce) for many weeks, all the while releasing spores.ii Even after cleaning, surfaces become recontaminated after only 2 hours, long before the next cleaning takes place. iii

Key Points: 
  • From the first case in 2013, this fungus is now the cause of over 2,300 cases, with a mortality rate of 30-60%.
  • iii
    While nursing homes (and other healthcare facilities) are working hard and doing their best to keep the fungus at bay with traditional cleaning methods, those efforts are not making enough of a difference.
  • This fungus is hardy, resistant, and requires only small exposures to lead to a life-threatening infection.
  • Testing results show EOScu kills 99.992% of Candida auris colonies and spores in under 2 hours, a 5.25 Log reduction.