Antimicrobial surfaces: A need for stewardship?
Sam S. Cassidy, David J. Sanders, Jim Wade, Ivan P. Parkin, Claire J. Carmalt, Andrew Smith, Elaine Allan
Abstract
Since the 1970s, more than 1,500 new pathogens have been discovered, and many of these have had major impacts on public health Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) account for 37,000 deaths in Europe and 99,000 deaths in the United States of America annually and are associated with a financial loss of 7 billion in the EU and US$ 6.5 billion in the US Many of these deaths are attributed to multiple drug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, which evolved due to the overuse of antimicrobial drugs. Consequently, MDR pathogens are now considered a global threat to public health Historically, MDR infections have been nosocomial, but since the early 2000s, there has been a rise in community-acquired pathogens such as meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which are now detected in public areas such as public transport, airports, and daycare facilities