Efficacy of Antimicrobial Materials on Environmental Surfaces: A 12-Week Prospective Controlled Trial

ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the sustained antimicrobial efficacy of antimicrobial materials on high-touch surfaces in an intensive care unit (ICU).MethodsA prospective, controlled study was employed. An experimental group (surfaces coated with antimicrobial material) and a control group (surfaces receiving routine disinfection) were established in an ICU. Environmental surface sampling was performed at weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12, with microbial contamination measured as colony-forming units per square centimeter (CFU/cm2).ResultsSurface contamination was significantly lower in the experimental group at all assessment time points versus the control (Week 1: 0.42 vs. 2.31 CFU/cm2, P<0.01), with all experimental surfaces complying with the Class II specification (≤5 CFU/cm2) specified in the national standard Hygienic standard for disinfection in hospitals (GB 15982—2012). The experimental group showed a trend of initial slight increase and subsequent decrease in CFU counts, with overall contamination remaining low.ConclusionAntimicrobial materials can maintain continuous microbial control on environmental surfaces independently of chemical disinfectants, and offer a valuable supplementary measure for integration into healthcare infection prevention strategies.