Novel Surface Treatment Offers Improved Infection Control

An antimicrobial environmental treatment could be used in infection control on environmental surfaces in intensive care unit (ICU) rooms.

The M-Guard surface treatment is based on antimicrobial polymers called polymeric quaternary ammonium materials (polyquats), used commercially in foot deodorizing insoles. Polyquats--which do not release toxic biocidal substances--form permanent covalent bonds with the treated surface, rendering it with antimicrobial properties. The active ingredient, 3-trimethixysilypropyldimethyoctadecyl ammonium chloride, has broad spectrum activity against bacteria, viruses, and fungi, by rupturing the organism via carbon chains that act as lethal probes, piercing the microbe cell membrane and inactivating the organism. M-Guard is a product of AMG Scientific (San Juan Capistrano, CA, USA).

AMG Scientific has announced that the M-Guard environmental treatment will be evaluated at the University of Maryland Medical Center (Baltimore, USA). The goal of the study will be to determine the treatment's effectiveness in infection control on environmental surfaces in ICUs, and to see if using the product reduces contamination by several healthcare-associated pathogens. The study will also assess whether there is a decreased incidence of contamination of healthcare workers' hands and clothing. Both environmental and healthcare worker contamination have been shown to increase the risk of patient-acquired infections.


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AMG Scientific
University of Maryland Medical Center