Antimicrobial Coatings: Reviewing Options for Healthcare Applications

Abstract

Many publications report coatings that exhibit antimicrobial potency applicable to high-touch surfaces and desirable for healthcare settings to contribute to reductions in the occurrence of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI). In this review, the importance of surface contamination and the transmission of microbes is addressed. The standard strategy to tackle fomites is to implement proper disinfection and cleaning practices and periodically monitor the environment’s cleanliness. However, the probability of recontamination of cleaned surfaces is high. Therefore, an additional first line of defense against pathogen transmission and subsequent infection is the antimicrobial surface that can eliminate or at least repel pathogens, introducing a barrier to the spread of infection. It is a simple concept, but formulating a durable, antimicrobial coating with broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antifouling activities has proven challenging. The challenges and progress made in developing such material are reviewed.