Effectiveness of a Self-Decontaminating Coating Containing Usnic Acid in Reducing Environmental Microbial Load in Tertiary-Care Hospitals

Helena C. Maltezou (), Nikolaos Papamichalopoulos, Elina Horefti, Maria Tseroni, Amalia Karapanou, Maria N. Gamaletsou, Lamprini Veneti, Anastasios Ioannidis, Marina Panagiotou, Evangelia Dimitroulia, Antonios Vasilogiannakopoulos, Emmanouil Angelakis, Stylianos Chatzipanagiotou and Nikolaos V. Sipsas
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Helena C. Maltezou: Directorate of Research, Studies, and Documentation, National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
Nikolaos Papamichalopoulos: Department of Medical Biopathology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 72–74 Vas. Sophias Ave, 11528 Athens, Greece
Elina Horefti: Diagnostic Department and Public Health Laboratories, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 127 Vas. Sophias Ave, 11521 Athens, Greece
Maria Tseroni: Directorate of Epidemiological Surveillance for Infectious Diseases, National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
Amalia Karapanou: Infection Control Committee, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
Maria N. Gamaletsou: Department of Pathophysiology, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Lamprini Veneti: Independent Researcher, 11744 Athens, Greece
Anastasios Ioannidis: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Peloponnese, 22100 Tripoli, Greece
Marina Panagiotou: Infection Control Committee, Henry Dunant Hospital Center, 11526 Athens, Greece
Evangelia Dimitroulia: Infection Control Committee, Henry Dunant Hospital Center, 11526 Athens, Greece
Antonios Vasilogiannakopoulos: Infection Control Committee, Henry Dunant Hospital Center, 11526 Athens, Greece
Emmanouil Angelakis: Diagnostic Department and Public Health Laboratories, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 127 Vas. Sophias Ave, 11521 Athens, Greece
Stylianos Chatzipanagiotou: Department of Medical Biopathology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 72–74 Vas. Sophias Ave, 11528 Athens, Greece
Nikolaos V. Sipsas: Department of Pathophysiology, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 8, 1-9

Abstract: Surfaces have been implicated in the transmission of pathogens in hospitals. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an usnic-acid-containing self-decontaminating coating in reducing microbial surface contamination in tertiary-care hospitals. Samples were collected from surfaces 9 days before coating application, and 3, 10, and 21 days after its application (phases 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively). Samples were tested for bacteria, fungi, and SARS-CoV2. In phase 1, 53/69 (76.8%) samples tested positive for bacteria, 9/69 (13.0%) for fungi, and 10/139 (7.2%) for SARS-CoV-2. In phase 2, 4/69 (5.8%) samples tested positive for bacteria, while 69 and 139 samples were negative for fungi and SARS-CoV-2, respectively. In phase 3, 3/69 (4.3%) samples were positive for bacteria, 1/139 (0.7%) samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, while 69 samples were negative for fungi. In phase 4, 1/69 (1.4%) tested positive for bacteria, while no fungus or SARS-CoV-2 were detected. After the coating was applied, the bacterial load was reduced by 87% in phase 2 (RR = 0.132; 95% CI: 0.108–0.162); 99% in phase 3 (RR = 0.006; 95% CI: 0.003–0.015); and 100% in phase 4 (RR = 0.001; 95% CI: 0.000–0.009). These data indicate that the usnic-acid-containing coating was effective in eliminating bacterial, fungal, and SARS-CoV-2 contamination on surfaces in hospitals.Our findings support the benefit ofan usnic-acid-containing coating in reducing the microbial load on healthcare surfaces.

Keywords: usnicacid; environmental contamination; hospital; surfaces; SARS-CoV-2; gram-negative bacteria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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