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MicroGuard(TM) Antimicrobial Alloys Kill 99.9% of MRSA Bacteria

Posted on: Thursday, 11 June 2009, 11:07 CDT

The EPA has registered MicroGuard antimicrobial alloys for sale with public health claims. The registration acknowledges that products made of MicroGuard metals can kill harmful bacteria* responsible for causing millions of infections each year.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on the results of extensive efficacy testing, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered MicroGuard(TM) antimicrobial alloys for sale with public health claims. When used as directed, MicroGuard touch surfaces kill greater than 99.9% of disease causing bacteria* including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a superbug responsible for over 94,000 hospital-acquired infections each year.

Products made of MicroGuard antibacterial materials are the first registered products available for immediate sale. MicroGuard materials and component hardware are approved for touch surfaces in hospitals, schools, commercial buildings, and homes. Some of the EPA approved applications include:

• Hand and stair railing
• Door hardware
• Hospital bedrails
• Medical IV stands
• Medical carts
• Countertops

Additional applications can be found at www.microguard.info. Designed to replace stainless steel with the added benefit of killing infectious bacteria*, MicroGuard alloys are both fingerprint and stain resistant. PMX Industries will be releasing additional products made of MicroGuard materials as market needs are identified.

"While MicroGuard surfaces are not a substitute for good cleaning and disinfection practices, MicroGuard may be an ideal supplement to a multi-faceted approach to reduce hospital-acquired infections," said Tom Bobish, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at PMX. "Unlike antimicrobial coatings which cannot claim to kill infectious bacteria, the antimicrobial properties of MicroGuard will not wear away or be rubbed off. The antibacterial efficacy of MicroGuard remains effective for the life of the product."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that hospital-acquired infections affect 1.7 million people each year and cost over $20 billion. Over 99,000 people die annually from hospital-acquired infections. The most common hospital-acquired infection is MRSA, which has more than tripled since 2000. MicroGuard surfaces kill 99.9% of MRSA.

Independent laboratory testing demonstrated effective antibacterial activity against *Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli 0157:H7, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For more information, visit www.ipmx.com.

About PMX Industries

Located in Cedar Rapids, IA, PMX Industries produces a wide range of copper and brass alloys, EcoCopper(TM) green building materials, and MicroGuard antimicrobial alloys.

SOURCE PMX INDUSTRIES

Source: PR Newswire

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