Leicester City Council has trialled new products containing a silver antimicrobial agent at a nursing home and found an average reduction of 94 per cent in bacteria at the home over five months of testing.

BBC News reports that tests were conducted in two rooms at the Arbour nursing home in the city. The silver-containing products were used to clean light fixtures, call systems, curtains, furniture, sinks and beds.

The products were supplied by the company BioCote Ltd, which produces the silver coating to help reduce hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA, as well as E coli and salmonella.

BioCote microbiologist Richard Hastings said:

‘Working alongside Leicester City Council, tests have shown that antimicrobial treated products are effective when used as part of infection prevention and control strategies, complementing cleaning to dramatically reduce the risks of cross-contamination.’

Some hospitals already use silver in operating theatres and in dressing for wounds to help prevent infection. Silver is also used in some cleaning products to kill bacteria.

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