Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Various Antimicrobial Surfaces as a Strategy to Combat the Spread of Infections in Healthcare Facilities

Relevance. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a significant threat to patients and healthcare systems, with the contact transmission route–accounting for up to 60–70 % of all HAIs–being the predominant mode of spread. Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of antimicrobial coatings developed by the FGBU “A.N. Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry” of the Russian Academy of Sciences in a hospital setting. Materials and Methods. A clinical study was conducted in an intensive care unit over a 5-month period to assess the efficacy of four types of antimicrobial coatings: stainless steel (C), smooth copper (M), lasertextured copper (CuT), and CuO/TiO₂ composite coating (A) on 24 high-touch surfaces. A total of 1440 surface swabs were analyzed using cultural methods and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Results and Discussion. Laser-textured copper (CuT) demonstrated the highest overall antimicrobial efficacy: bacterial contamination levels were 26.8 times lower than on stainless steel surfaces, and the frequency of Staphylococcus aureus isolation was 43 times lower. The CuO/TiO₂ composite, despite exhibiting higher overall bacterial load (2.15 times higher than CuT), showed the lowest frequency of S. aureus detection (1.7 %). All experimental coatings consistently reduced microbial burden compared to control surfaces without requiring changes to routine disinfection protocols. The use of self-adhesive copper foils enables easy installation, durability, and cost-effectiveness. Conclusion. This study confirms that copper-based coatings – particularly laser-textured copper and the CuO/TiO₂ composite—are effective barriers that significantly reduce bacterial contamination on high-touch surfaces in hospital settings, where healthcare workers’ hands remain the primary vector for HAI transmission. These passive antimicrobial surfaces do not replace, but significantly enhance, conventional infection control measures, contributing to a multi-layered strategy for HAI prevention in real-world clinical environments.

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