Researchers have discovered that the natural antimicrobial properties of copper and copper alloys could dramatically reduce the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to a study published Tuesday by the University of Southampton.
If a strain of bacteria carries several drug-resistant genes it is known as a superbug. Superbugs, like MRSA, can be a big problem for healthcare providers as fewer antibiotics can kill the bacteria and stop them from multiplying.
A team of researchers at the University of Southampton has found copper and copper alloys are more efficient in fighting MRSA compared with stainless steel, which is commonly used on surfaces in hospitals.
"Although stainless steel looks like a mirror surface to the naked eye, under the microscope it's full of scratch marks, and bacteria are able to hide in the grooves," said team leader Professor Bill Keevil from the University of Southampton.
According to the study, MRSA bacteria remain fully active for days on stainless steel surfaces, whereas on brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, they die in less than five hours on a moist surface and on pure copper they are eliminated in under 30 minutes.
The team worked out that the copper releases positively charged ions and reactive oxygen species, which quickly kill any bacterial cells that touch it.
"We have seen that copper completely destroys the bacteria's DNA in minutes so they can't go on to become resistant," said Bill.
The results of the study have led many hospitals in countries around the world, including the United States, Spain, Brazil and Japan, to start incorporating copper alloys into their wards, according to the team.
