This bacterium is opportunistic and thrives on most surfaces. It is commonly found on and in medical equipment.
'Thriving on most surfaces' implies that the bacteria may come into contact with people on a regular basis with no adverse effects. However, when a weakness in the host's defenses is recognized, the bacterium can be deadly. People that come into contact with Pseudomonas aeruginosa can spread the bacteria to touched surfaces which can endanger those with weakened immune systems. Weakened immune systems are quite common in patients in ICU rooms.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is responsible for about 0.4% of all hospital-acquired infections each year according to the Centers for Disease Control. Copper touch surfaces effectively kill this pathogen. Other surface materials (plastic and stainless steel) are relatively inert and can lead to infection control issues.
Read more on the other bacteria that Antimicrobial Copper is registered to kill.
- E. coli O157:H7
- MRSA : Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
- VRE : Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis
- Enterobacter aerogenes
*Laboratory testing shows that, when cleaned regularly, antimicrobial copper surfaces kill greater than 99.9% of the following bacteria within 2 hours of exposure: MRSA, VRE, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and E. coli O157:H7. Antimicrobial copper surfaces are a supplement to and not a substitute for standard infection control practices and have been shown to reduce microbial contamination, but do not necessarily prevent cross contamination or infections; users must continue to follow all current infection control practices.