Antimicrobial Antimicrobial TextileTextile

By By Dr Anjm HashmiDr Anjm HashmiMBBS,CCS(USA),MPHMBBS,CCS(USA),MPHInfection Prevention & Infection Prevention & Control DirectorControl DirectorMaternity & Children’s Maternity & Children’s Hospital Najran KSAHospital Najran KSA

INTRODUCTION• According to Director General of the

WHO, "We are losing our first-line antimicrobials."

• Antibiotic resistant bacteria seem to be winning the battle. As bacteria evolve to evade antibiotics, infections that were once easily cured are becoming deadly.

• “Things as common as strep throat or a child's scratched knee could once again kill."

INTRODUCTION

• Antibiotic resistant pathogens once relegated to intensive care units and nursing homes are increasingly found in communities, schools and gyms worldwide.

• This means that the antibiotic resistant germs are coming into hospitals with the patients.

• Infections of antibiotic resistant germ are difficult to treat, thus prevention of exposures and transmission of the bacteria is becoming of paramount importance.

INTRODUCTION• Healthcare associated infection (HAIs) and

increasing bacterial resistance have emerged as a major challenge to the healthcare system.

• In the US there are an estimated 1.7 million HAIs yearly with nearly 100,000 associated deaths.

• The most-common organisms in are coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative bacilli, Enterococcus spp., Clostridium difficile and Candida species.

INTRODUCTION• Soft surfaces constitute 90% of the patient care

environment. • Although hospitals continue their efforts to improve

infection control, standardized practices for soft surface bacterial management but are inadequate as compared with those for hand hygiene and environmental surfaces cleaning protocols.

• Healthcare workers move from patient to patient, frequently throughout the day as a result healthcare textiles such as scrub uniforms and lab coats becomes the highly mobile carriers of contamination.

• Several studies implicate contaminated clothing, curtains and linens as the source of infections and outbreaks.

SOLUTIONSOLUTION• To resolve this problem,

research innovations being done to develop new antimicrobial textiles to reduce microbial acquisition and transmission.

VESTEX™VESTEX™C a r r i e r C a r r i e r oror B a r r i e r ? B a r r i e r ?

Is your uniform aIs your uniform a

Don’t take your work, home with youDon’t take your work, home with you

VESTEX COTTON-BASED FABRICSVESTEX COTTON-BASED FABRICS• VTT-01 ,VTT-02 & VTT-003 are cotton-based fabrics,

manufactured by Vestagen Technical Textiles (Orlando, FL,USA).

• VTT-01 is embedded with silver with an overlying hydrophobic barrier.

• VTT-02 is embedded with a cationic antimicrobial agent with an overlying hydrophobic barrier.

• VTT-003 uses a proprietary method to impregnate natural, synthetic, and blended fabrics with an organosilane based quaternary ammonium antimicrobial agent and a fluoroacrylate copolymer emulsion that repels blood and body fluids.

VESTEX™VESTEX™• Thus, Vestex-treated scrubs protect hospital

personnel from exposure to blood, body fluids, and microorganisms.

• Testing with VTT fabrics indicates these materials are extremely stable and safe for everyday human use.

• Vestex™ Garments use a blend of three patented technologies in a single fabric.

• Vestex™ Protects Garments in multiple ways...

1. Repels Fluids and Resists Stains1. Repels Fluids and Resists Stains• Vestex™ contains a flourine silicon dispersion that

makes garments naturally self cleaning. Fluids literally bead up and fall off the garment.• Vestex™ keeps contaminants away from skin. Person stay clean and dry.• Vestex™ creates a microscopically structured

surface so fluids, dirt and oils cannot adhere to the surface.

• As this technology binds to the individual fibers of the fabric thus keeps garments breathable and highly durable, not like a fabric coating.

Mechanism of Action Mechanism of Action

• Conventional Fabric Surface: Conventional fabrics have a large contact surface area and high adhesion level of fluids and dirt. This leads to contaminated textiles.

• Vestex™ has a lower adhesion level than untreated fabrics. Fluids and dirt particles lie only on the peaks of the fluorine silicon dispersion. Fluids run off and, dirt is repelled or can simply be rinsed off.

• Thus the contaminants stay away from skin.

Vestex™ Fabric Surface:

2. Contains An Antimicrobial2. Contains An Antimicrobial

• Vestex™ contains a silane-based quaternary ammonium chloride antimicrobial to prevent degradation from micro organisms and to control odors caused by bacteria.

• The antimicrobial in Vestex™ has never been shown to allow microbial resistance or adaptation.

Mechanism of Action Mechanism of Action

• Semeltec, the antimicrobial in Vestex, act as a layer of electrically charged swords.

• When a microorganism comes in contact with the treated surface, the C-18 molecular sword punctures the cell membrane and the positive electrical charge zaps the cell.

• Since nothing is transferred to the now dead cell, the antimicrobial doesn’t lose strength and the molecule is ready for the next cell to contact it.

3. Stays Clean, Cool and Dry3. Stays Clean, Cool and Dry

• Vestex™ hydrophilic properties wick moisture away from the skin on the inside of the fabric. This enables rapid evaporation and stimulates the body’s natural cooling process.

• Vestex™ maintains a professional appearance even when you perspire.

• Vestex™ resists perspiration from being transported to the outside of the garment.

• Vestex™ contains an antimicrobial to control odors.• Vestex™ Dries up to six times faster than untreated fabrics – no more

damp clothes.• Vestex™ is breathable to keep garments clean, cool and dry.

4. Vestex™ is engineered to last4. Vestex™ is engineered to last

• Vestex is durable because the technologies are impregnated into the fabric.

• Heat from the dryer and ironing actually regenerates Vestex fluid barrier technology.

• It is machine wash and dry, but avoid using fabric softeners and dryer sheets.

VESTEX PRODUCTSVESTEX PRODUCTSwww.vestexprotects.comwww.vestexprotects.com

VESTEX PRODUCTSVESTEX PRODUCTSwww.vestexprotects.comwww.vestexprotects.com

Antimicrobial Zinc Textile

Mechanism of ActionMechanism of Action

ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLYENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY

DIABETIC SOCKSDIABETIC SOCKS

ANTIMCROBIAL BED SHEETSANTIMCROBIAL BED SHEETS

ANTIMCROBIAL BED SHEETSANTIMCROBIAL BED SHEETS

Flux Ropes on the Sunmagnetic loops on the sun, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory

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