X-STATIC® Antimicrobial Technology Supports International Infection Prevention Week

SCRANTON, Pa., Oct. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Biomaterials, manufacturer of X-STATIC^® antimicrobial technology for soft surface fabrics in healthcare, is joining the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) as a Champion for International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW), October 14-20, 2012.  The week recognizes the efforts made toward reducing preventable infections in healthcare settings. Approximately 99,000 people die annually from healthcare associated infections (HAIs) in the United States¹ - more than breast cancer, diabetes, influenza and car accidents. Even so, there is comparatively little consumer awareness of these preventable conditions.

X-STATIC aims to raise awareness about the spread of HAI-causing bacteria on soft surfaces - a missing piece of most infection prevention protocols today. Even though soft surface fabrics (privacy curtains, lab coats, scrubs, patient apparel and bed linens) constitute 90 percent of the patient environment, they are often overlooked in infection prevention protocols and largely missing in the industry guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Launched during IIPW and continued through November 16^th, X-STATIC is asking infection preventionists to visit its Facebook page and fill out a short survey about current soft surface infection prevention activities in their facility. Participants will be entered in a sweepstakes for a chance to win an Encompass Performance RX^® lab coat powered by X-STATIC technology. There will be one winner each day in honor of IIPW. Please click here to enter and for official sweepstakes rules.

"We recognize the importance of infection prevention and the profound effect it can have on the safety of patients and healthcare staff as well as the economic welfare of healthcare facilities," said Karin Mueller Recchione, Director of Marketing, Noble Biomaterials. "Cross contamination from soft surface fabrics is proven. To make other practices such as hand hygiene and hard surface disinfection most effective in reducing healthcare associated infections, these surfaces need to have a place in the overall infection prevention bundle."

X-STATIC technology permanently bonds textile fibers with a layer of 99.9 percent pure metallic silver. The silver layer creates an ionic shield that inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi directly on the surface of the fabric. It provides permanent protection, lasting the life of the product. Because X-STATIC is woven directly into the product, no behavior modification is needed and staff compliance issues are eliminated.

IIPW raises awareness of the role infection prevention plays to improve patient safety and promotes the belief that infection prevention is everyone's business. Established in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan, APIC has spearheaded the annual effort to highlight the importance of infection prevention among healthcare professionals, administrators, legislators and consumers. Learn more about IIPW on Facebook and Twitter (#IIPW).

X-STATIC^® has been proven to extremes by NASA, elite military forces and Olympic athletes. X-STATIC^® is a registered trademark of Noble Fiber Technologies, LLC. Noble Biomaterials, Inc. is a global leader in bacterial management solutions. The company develops, manufactures, sells and markets advanced antimicrobial technologies designed to manage all forms of bacterial contamination. Noble is a strategic partner of APIC and works closely with the infection prevention community toward the common goal of reducing healthcare associated infections. For more information on products Powered by X-STATIC^®, please visit www.InfectionPreventionTextiles.com.

¹ http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/pdfs/hai/infections_deaths.pdf

SOURCE Noble Biomaterials, Inc.