A North-east firm has launched a new product which can kill the potentially deadly superbug, Clostridium difficile (C difficile) which is currently plaguing hospitals throughout the country.
Biotechnics Ltd, based in Inverbervie, has developed an easy to use biocide which kills the harmful bacteria, as well as a number of other infections.
The product, Enduro Rapid 6 (Pat. Pending), can kill the C difficile bacteria at log 5.9 − a 99.9999% kill rate − and destroy the C difficile spores with a log 5 kill rate (99.999%).
C difficile has been highlighted in the media recently as being more dangerous than the MRSA superbug. The infection causes more than 50,000 hospital patients to become ill in the UK every year and has also claimed a number of lives.
C difficile is an anaerobic bacteria present in the gut of up to 3% of healthy adults and 66% of infants. It rarely causes problems among children and healthy adults as it is kept under control by the normal bacterial population of the intestine. When certain antibiotics are administered, however, this can disturb the balance of bacteria in the gut, causing C difficile to multiply rapidly and produce toxins, which cause illness.
Enduro Rapid 6 can combat this infection and trials are now in progress in key hospitals within the UK.
David Evans, managing director of Biotechnics, said: “Clostridium difficile and its spores in particular, can withstand extremely high temperatures, allowing infection to spread through buildings which in turn creates a great deal of problems and expense within the medical world”.
“It is now one of the most common causes of infection in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Symptoms include diarrhoea and other severe intestinal conditions, along with fever, nausea and abdominal pain. It can also prove to be fatal in some cases.
“Enduro Rapid 6 can provide an effective solution to combating the spread of C difficile in our hospitals and we look forward to working with hospitals throughout the country to help fight this extremely dangerous infection before it becomes an even greater problem.”
Enduro Rapid 6 is an easy to use product which is provided in a 100g container, eliminating the need for measuring. The user simply stirs the product into a bucket filled with water before cleaning the infected area and then rinsing.
Mr Evans added: “Dangerous infections are by no means a new threat to our hospitals − the strains are just becoming more virulent and our product will help combat the spread of such viruses and bacteria”.
For further information about Enduro Rapid 6, please contact Biotechnics on 01561 361515 or visit www.rapid6.com
ENDS
Issued on behalf of Biotechnics Ltd by Mackenzie PR. For further information, please contact Dawn Cromar or Susanne Shepherd on 01224 580 188 or email dawn@mackenziepr.co.uk