There are few public health issues of greater importance than stopping the spread of bacteria and viruses. Fortunately, antimicrobial technology has been proven to offer protection from these pathogens.
Why is antimicrobial technology needed?
Several studies have shown that viruses that cause flu and colds can be spread by touching contaminated surfaces in places such as hospitals and offices.
This is a result of “fomite transmission”, where a person infected with a virus coughs or sneezes on to their hands and then touches a surface, or droplets land directly on a surface. The virus is subsequently transmitted to another person when they touch that surface.
A “fomite” refers to inanimate objects that can carry and spread disease and infectious agents. They can also be referred to as “passive vectors”.
Antimicrobial technology can break this chain of transmission when applied to regularly-handled surfaces such as door handles, handrails and sanitary fittings.
How does it work?
Antimicrobial technology is a coating that, when applied to a surface, renders this surface “bactericidal”. In other words, it kills bacteria.
Nitropep’s antimicrobial coating does this by chemically bonding a regulated biocide to metal or plastic surfaces – effectively “locking in” disinfectant and antimicrobial agents.
When bacteria comes into contact with these agents, a process called cell lysis occurs. The bacterial cell walls are ruptured – imagine needles popping balloons – and it is destroyed.
As a result, the bacteria cannot grow and spread, and surface ‘recontamination’ cannot happen. Fomite- and therefore onward – transmission is prevented and the pathogen is effectively killed.
Nitropep coating is unique in that it’s efficacy is retained throughout the lifetime of the surface it is applied to. The surface essentially becomes a permanent barrier to a virus, stopping its spread.
Nitropep and Covid-19
Independently assessed laboratory data has demonstrated that Nitropep antimicrobial coating kills SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. It has a kill rate higher than 99.99% and does it in less than one minute, faster than any other antimicrobial product.
This has huge implications for the fight against the virus, particularly in public places.
Whilst current evidence suggests that Covid-19 spreads mainly between people in close contact with one another, fomite transmission does present a risk of being infected.
Indeed, recent studies have discovered that the Covid-19 Omicron variant survives on plastic surfaces for significantly longer than previous variants – for up to eight days.
Luckily, Nitropep offers long term protection on two fronts:
- It’s antimicrobial coating can be applied to regularly handled surfaces such as door handles and grab rails, stopping onward transmission.
- When applied to air filters it reduces airborne transmission of the SARS-CoV 2 virus.
NitroPep’s antimicrobial technology can therefore support other public health measures by breaking the chain of Covid-19 transmission.
To find out how your business could benefit from Nitropep antimicrobial technology, get in touch: info@nitropep.co.uk