(Mundelein,
Illinois & Redmond, Washington) — The latest advancement
in the battle against microbes that cause hospital-acquired infections
isn’t a
new antibiotic drug or surgical procedure – it’s the launch
today of bed linens treated with HaloShield?,
a patented technology that harnesses the antimicrobial power of
chlorine-based sanitizers to kill infection-causing pathogens, including
MRSA and VRE. “It
is well documented that soiled linens harbor microorganisms that
can be transmitted to others,” said Gang Sun, Ph.D., professor of
textiles and clothing at the University of California, Davis and
one of the developers of HaloShield technology. “In light of the
rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the use of HaloShield can
be a major development in the battle against microbes that spread
infection.” For
the first time, hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities
will be able to use HaloShield sheets and pillowcases to combat
the spread of a wide range of resistant bacteria, viruses and other
microbes, including MRSA, a form of staph bacteria, which is blamed
for about 13 percent of the nation’s two
million hospital infections each year, according to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. Overall, hospital infections
kill 60,000 to 80,000 people a year at an average annual cost of
$6 million per hospital.
“Sheets
using this new technology may prove to be an important adjunct to a health
care facility’s infection control practices,” said Dorothy
Thompson, Infection Control Coordinator for Mt. Sinai Hospital in Chicago. “It
can help reduce the spread of organisms to health care workers and possibly
to other patients.” HaloShield extends the
capabilities of EPA-registered chlorine-based sanitizers – proven
hygienic agents that do not promote resistant microbes – to maintain
an effective antimicrobial barrier for the lifetime of the sheet. Medline
Industries, Inc., the leading provider of textiles to the healthcare industry
in the United States, licenses HaloShield from Vanson HaloSource, with
exclusive rights to distribute HaloShield-treated hospital sheets, pillowcases,
scrubs, gowns and reusable underpads in North and South America. How
HaloShield Works HaloShield is a patented, durable coating that
binds EPA-registered chlorine- based sanitizers to nearly any textile
or surface. “HaloShield acts like Velcro® for chlorine
molecules. It locks chlorine in place until it comes into contact with
and kills the microbe, then releases it,” said Sean Manne, director
of HaloShield coatings at Vanson HaloSource. “Lab tests show that
when bacteria or viruses come into contact with chlorine bleach anchored
to a sheet treated with HaloShield, 99.9 percent of the microbes are killed
within minutes, compared to the 12- to 24-hour kill time seen with many
competing technologies.” Hospital laundry protocols have long relied
on chlorine-based and other sanitizers to kill and contain the spread
of infection-causing viruses and bacteria in bed linens and other materials.
Chlorine is known to be one of the best antimicrobial agents in the world.
However, these practices are limited because the normal rinse cycle removes
chlorine- based sanitizers from untreated sheets before they leave the
laundry – allowing new contaminants to grow freely.
“HaloShield
is the first and only coating that prolongs and enhances the antimicrobial
properties of EPA-registered chlorine sanitizers between launderings,” said
Ron Barth, president of Medline’s Medcrest textile division. The
antimicrobial properties of the chlorine are renewed each time the HaloShield
sheet is laundered in an EPA- registered chlorine-based sanitizer, such
as Clorox® bleach, consistent with standard hospital protocol. HaloShield
is an extremely durable coating, and maintains its ability to bind chlorine
for the life of the sheet. Rigorous laboratory and field tests also
show that HaloShield is non-irritating and safe for sensitive skin, even
when applied to fabric worn or slept in on a daily basis. The Need for
HaloShield Sheets Following are some key facts regarding the serious
issue of microbes that cause nosocomial (hospital acquired) infections
and the need for HaloShield treated sheets: • The
average U.S. hospital will acquire 430 nosocomial infections per year,
with an average cost of $13,973 per infection, according to the Joint
Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the American
Journal of Infection Control and the Centers for Disease Control Morbidity
and Mortality Weekly Report. • Studies show that bacteria,
dust mites and dead skin cells comprise 30 percent of the weight of an
average pillow. And according to a study in the Journal of Hospital
Infection, cotton/polyester blended fabrics are a potential source of
bacterial contamination and cross infection. • More than
$5 billion is added to U.S. healthcare costs as a direct result of nosocomial
infections. “The use of HaloShield linens should be
a key part of any hospital’s protocol for preventing cross contamination
and controlling microbes that cause nosocomial infections,” said
Dr. Sun of UC Davis. “Incorporating the power of chlorine,
the only antimicrobial agent that does not generate resistant bacteria,
directly into bed linens marks a huge step in improving the level of care
provided at healthcare institutions nationwide.”
About
Medline Medline is ISO 13485 registered and FDA QSR compliant,
the most stringent international standards for producing quality products. As
a leading supplier of quality products, Medline is asked to serve on major
industry quality committees to develop guidelines and standards for medical
product use. Some of these organizations include the FDA Midwest
Steering Committee, AAMI Sterilization and Packaging Committee and the
various ASTM committees.
Headquartered
in Mundelein, Ill., Medline is the largest privately held national manufacturer
and distributor of medical supplies in the United States. The company
has more than 700 dedicated sales representatives nationwide to support
its broad product line and cost management services. Medline distributes
over 100,000 products to hospitals, extended care facilities, surgery
centers, hospital laundries, home care dealers and agencies and other
alternate site markets from its 29 distribution centers in the U.S. With
seven manufacturing facilities in North America, Medline manufactures
many of the products it sells. More information about Medline can be found
at www.medline.com.
About
Vanson HaloSource Vanson HaloSource employs bioscience technologies to
create innovative solutions that enhance life for customers in the water
treatment and purification, biomedical, healthcare, manufacturing, and
consumer markets. The Redmond, Wash.-based company markets sophisticated
applications based on its N-halamine technologies and chitosan formulations. Its
hygienic coatings harness chlorine to surfaces and textiles to purify
water and improve sanitation in healthcare settings, homes, and other
environments. Vanson HaloSource also manufactures a range of chitosan-based
products to the pool and spa, water treatment and biomedical industries. The
company investors include Alexander Hutton Venture Partners and Buerk
Dale Victor LLC along with other institutional and private investors. More
information is available at www.vanson.com.
