Antibiotic resistance in Africa "is a pandemic that is already here", according to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
https://www.ft.com/content/95f150df-5ce6-43cf-aa8d-01ac3bdcf0ef
US Environmental Protection Agency registers copper surfaces for residual use against Coronavirus; evidencing long-term effectiveness of copper alloys as a protection against viruses (including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.)
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-registers-copper-surfaces-residual-use-against-coronavirus
European countries mandate medical-grade face masks over homemade cloth face coverings.
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/22/europe/europe-covid-medical-masks-intl/index.html
INEOS, one of the world's largest manufacturing companies, donates GBP100 million to create new Oxford University institute to fight antimicrobial resistance.
"Antimicrobial resistance could soon kill at least 10 million people and wipe out humanity before climate change does."
- Dame Sally Davies, UK Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance (and former Chief Medical Officer for England), 2019.
According to the World Health Organisation, antimicrobial resistance threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites) change when they are exposed to a range of antimicrobial drugs including antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, antimalarials, and anthelmintics.
Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “superbugs". As a result, the medicines become ineffective and infections persist in the body, increasing the risk of spread to others.
This is the first time this has happened since antibiotics were discovered in the 1930s. It means that now something as simple as a minor injury, such as a small cut on the skin, could become life threatening.
A new family of antibiotics capable of addressing the problems caused by HAIs is not expected for at least fifteen years, meaning that the need for new defences against superbugs- especially in hospitals and health care facilities - is now recognized as both urgent and vital.
SonoChem's 100% antimicrobial textiles will play a key role in providing one of these defences.
The antiviral properties of copper have been known for hundreds of years.
A recently-published article in the Smithsonian Magazine provides a succinct summary of our understanding of the properties of copper, and includes an interview with Bill Keevil, a microbiology research at the University of Southhampton. His work is described as "modern confirmation of an ancient remedy" and is particularly relevant with global attention now drawn towards the novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"When researchers reported last month that the novel coronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic survives for days on glass and stainless steel but dies within hours after landing on copper, the only thing that surprised Bill Keevil was that the pathogen lasted so long on copper."
"Copper's virus-killing powers were known even to the Ancients", The Smithsonian Magazine, April 14, 2020.
SonoChem's patented technology will enable the scientifically-proven benefits of copper to be used in textiles, and will play a key role in solving the growing global problems caused by antimicrobial resistance and viral and bacterial spread.
Commencing commercial production during 2025, SonoChem will produce the world's lowest cost, 100% antimicrobial and antiviral textiles for hospitals, healthcare centres, and sportswear producers. It will also produce antiviral, reusable face masks - revolutionising consumer and industrial products of global importance.
