The Trinity Guardion bed cover has been shown to reduce infections by 50 percent.
In a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control, it shows that the bedding, which can be washed in the laundry, is reducing the threat of infections like Clostridium difficile (C. diff).
“We compared infection rates before and after these two hospitals began using the bed cover system and discovered that by following the handling and washing instructions, the infection rates were cut in half,” Edmond Hooker, associate professor in health services administration at Xavier University, said.
The trial was conducted at St. Vincent Seton Speciality Hospital in Indianapolis and St. Vincent Seton Specialty Hospital in Lafayette, Indiana. Led by Hooker, along with Mark Bochan, an infectious disease physician with Infectious Disease of Indiana, the trial lasted more than 14 months.
“Hospital-acquired infections like C. diff are difficult to treat and easily transmitted,” Ardis Hoven, Trinity Guardion board member, said. “However, new technology such as Trinity Guardion’s bed protection system is truly a breakthrough and will help to control, and hopefully reduce, C. diff rates significantly across the U.S.”
The system works by having an antimicrobial surface. It must also go through a laundry process that includes high heat and chlorine, which will kill off spores. The bedding can withstand over 100 wash cycles, while still maintaining its effectiveness.
“This study calls into question the efficacy of disinfectants on both hard and soft surfaces,” Bruce Rippe, CEO and co-founder of Trinity Guardion, said. “Soft surface cleaners cannot kill 100 percent of bacteria, and they can also seep through mattress covers and into crevices. Hard surface cleaners are not effective on soft surfaces and are very harmful to the mattress. As a result, bacterial spores can lie dormant on these soft surfaces, such as a hospital bed mattress, for months. These spores can become infectious after ingestion. In addition, hospital mattresses are the highest patient touch point and the most soiled medical device, with a very weak disinfection process.”