At the curtain manufacturing stage, the polypropylene curtain fabric is impregnated with a combination of our unique, patented Endurocide® Curtain liquid and a flame retardant chemical.

The Endurocide® Curtain liquid coats the fabric with a biostatic polymer layer. If pathogens come into contact with the fabric, the Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal layer instantly starts working by trapping the pathogens on the fabric and preventing them from multiplying and being re-transmitted.

Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains kill spores by piercing through their spore coats and cortex and then causing lethal DNA damage to the spore.   Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains kill bacteria by first preventing their respiration, then disrupting their cell metabolism and then inhibiting the cell from reproducing.

Recent studies have shown that traditional hospital “curtains are rapidly contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria” and “curtains are a potentially important site of bacterial contamination in hospitals”¹.

On top of this, further studies show that pathogens such as MRSA, VRE and C.difficile spores are capable of surviving on surfaces for weeks, meaning that hospital workers can touch these contaminated surfaces and then transmit these pathogens onto patients².

Traditional polyester curtains, or standard polypropylene curtains that haven’t been treated with an antimicrobial agent can quickly & easily become sources of pathogenic transmission.  For example, a healthcare worker who touches the patient could possibly transmit this infection to an object/surface, such as a hospital curtain. If this happens, this object now has the potential to contaminate anyone who comes in contact with the surface. All of this means that traditional Hospital Curtains are a potential source for the spread of healthcare-associated pathogens³.

Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains were specifically created to help hospitals reduce the potential for this pathogenic transmission to occur from Hospital Curtains and they are therefore effective against the top pathogen groups commonly found in hospitals worldwide:

• Spores
• Bacteria
• Fungi
• Mycobacteria
• Certain Viruses

Sources:

1. Ohl, Michael; Schweizer, Marin; Graham, Maggie; Heilmann, Kristopher; Boyken, Linda; Diejema, Daniel “Hospital privacy curtains are frequently and rapidly contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria” American Journal of Infection Control (2012)
2. Boyce, John M “Environmental contamination makes an important contribution to hospital infection” Journal of Hospital Infection (2007) 65(S2) 50-54
3. Trillis III, Floyd; Eckstein, Elizabeth C; Budavich, Rachel; Pultz, Michael J; Donskey, Curtis J “Contamination of Hospital Curtains with Healthcare-Associated Pathogens” Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology (November 2008) Vol. 29, No.11

Traditional curtains have the potential to become sources of transmission for Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs). To counteract this, in 2005, we created a disposable curtain that could offer antimicrobial protection. However, the major flaw with the antimicrobial system is that it is unable to have an effect against spores, such as C.difficile, which can survive on surfaces for very long periods of time. This means that even antimicrobial curtains can have the potential to become a source of transmission of HAIs within the hospital.

Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains are different to existing curtains on the market because they have been specifically designed to help break the chain of infection and help prevent the spread of HAIs in the hospital, offering a safe to use, long-lasting and powerful curtain capable of killing bacteria, fungi, spores, mycobacteria and certain viruses.

Using a patented formula, which is only available on Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains, the curtains become an effective barrier to the transmission of infections, by trapping and killing pathogens on the curtain surface in seconds! 

This dual mechanism of trapping & killing the pathogens is key.  The Curtain fabric traps pathogens on the surface, preventing them from being picked up when the Curtain is touched and then when the pathogens are trapped, the Curtain kills the pathogens, preventing them from multiplying or remaining a risk to users on the Curtain.

Studies have shown that up to 40% of HAIs can be attributed to the cross infection from the hands of health care personnel, who are contaminated either by direct contact with a patient or indirectly by touching contaminated surfaces¹. It has also been shown that contaminated hands can transfer viruses to 5 more surfaces² or 14 other subjects³. 

On top of this, pathogens can survive on surfaces for long periods of time, with C.difficile spores and MRSA being shown to survive on surfaces for up to 5 months and 7 months respectively⁴. It is widely understood that hand hygiene protocols and surface disinfection procedures are essential in minimising the potential for this cross contamination.

However, what about the hospital curtain?  What procedures are there to minimise its potential for contamination? If a health care worker touches a contaminated surface and picks up the contamination, then touches a hospital curtain, they have the potential to contaminate the hospital curtain.  With some hospital curtains remaining in-situ for anywhere between one day to six months, these hospital curtains have the potential to become sources of transmission of infections for anyone who comes into contact with them.

Until now there was not much that you could do about this.  However Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains have changed this! By being tested and proven to kill spores, bacteria and fungi, Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains offer an effective barrier to pathogens and help hospitals maintain their hand and surface hygiene protocols – by minimising the potential for the hospital curtain to become a source of infection!

1. Weber, David J; Rutala, William A; Miller, Melissa; Huslage, Kirk; Bennet-Sickbert, Emily “Role of hospital surfaces in the transmission of emerging health care-associated pathogens: Norovirus, Clostridium difficile, and Acinetobacter species” Am J Infect Control (2010) 38 S25-33
2. Barker, J; Vipond, IB; Bloomfield, SF “Effects of cleaning and disinfection in reducing the spread of norovirus contamination via environmental surfaces” Journal of Hospital Infection (2004) 58:42-44
3. Von Rheinbaben, F; Schunemann, S; Gross, T; Wolff, MH “Transmission of viruses via contact in a household setting: experiments using bacteriophage strain phiX!!74 as a model virus” Journal of Hospital Infection (2000) 46:61-66
4. Kramer, Axel; Schwebke, Ingeborg and Kampf, Günter “How long do nosocomial pathogens persist on inanimate surfaces? A systematic review” BMC Infectious Diseases (2006), 6:130

Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains are ready to work as soon as you take them out of the box and have been independently tested and shown to kill pathogens in seconds.

If you would like more information about the testing that has been conducted on our Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains, please visit our 'Laboratory Testing' or 'Peer Review' tabs, or contact us for more details on:

• Tel: +44 (0) 1561 361515
• Email: info@endurocide.com 

We have found that there are numerous products on the market that claim to be antimicrobial, but do not define what this means and what exactly the product is capable of doing.

When comparing products, it is very important to understand how an antimicrobial hospital curtain works and how its effectiveness is tested and verified. It is also important to understand that there are different ways that an antimicrobial curtain can work, eg:

• Does the curtain simply trap the bacteria on the fabric?
• Does it actually kill the bacteria?
• Does it do both?

Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains are independently tested and shown to not only trap the pathogens on the fabric, but to also kill them, meaning that the curtains are sporistatic, bacteriostatic, sporicidal and bactericidal:

Sporistatic & Bacteriostatic

These terms refer to whether a curtain is capable of inhibiting the growth and reproduction of spores and bacteria. As our Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains have been independently tested and shown to be both Sporistatic and Baceteriostatic, our curtains will trap any spores and bacteria that come into contact with the curtain and prevent these pathogens from escaping and being re-transmitted to another surface.

The International Standards to demonstrate that a fabric is Sporistatic and Bacteriostatic are AATCC 147 & GC 147. These tests are qualitative tests, in that they evaluate the fabric’s antimicrobiality.

Sporicidal & Bactericidal

This means that the curtain is capable of actually killing the spores and the bacteria on the surface of the curtain, preventing them from multiplying and becoming a source of transmission.

The International Standards to demonstrate that a fabric is Sporicidal and Bactericidal are AATCC 100 and JIS Z 2801. These tests are quantitative tests, in that the number/reduction of bacteria on the curtain is counted.

Although we refer to the Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains as being primarily Sporicidal & Antimicrobial, it is important to understand that in order for the curtain to be truly effective, it must have been tested and shown to be both Sporistatic & Bacteriostatic as well as being Sporicidal & Bactericidal.

As far as we are aware, Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Patented Hospital Curtains are the only curtains available on the market that can claim this!

Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains have been designed to be used wherever Infection Control & Infection Prevention is of paramount concern.

We would recommend that Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains should be used in, amongst others, Intensive Care Wards, High Dependency Units, Isolation Wards, Burn Units, Cardiology Wards, General Surgery Wards, Maternity Wards, Neonatal Wards and Orthopaedic Wards.

Please refer to the table below for more information:

All Endurocide® Curtains should be stored at ambient temperatures (i.e. 25°C max) and out of UV light.

Polypropylene remains stable for approximately 12 months (if stored as above), but after this time will start to gradually degrade.  This degradation process will occur at a faster rate in the presence of warm/high temperatures, humid conditions and most importantly in the presence of UV light.

Yes: every box of curtains includes an Instruction Sheet in order to give our end users clear information on how to use and get the most out of their curtains. To download a copy, please click here.

No: it is not advised to clean any of our curtains by any mechanical means - disposable curtains are designed to be replaced when visibly soiled. Regarding Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Curtains, wiping or cleaning them may affect the performance of the patented sporicidal formulation coated onto the curtain surface. The curtains are designed to kill pathogens in situ and do not require any cleaning to improve function.  When any of our curtains become visibly soiled, they should always be replaced.

No: it is recommended that Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains are taken down when disinfecting with a misting/fogging machine. The peroxide used in such operations may react with the patented formulation and over time reduce the effectiveness against pathogens. The use of peroxide is also likely to affect the labels affixed to the curtains. This will be visible a discoloration of the lettering of the curtain label.

It is advised that Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Curtains are not placed in areas where they are exposed to prolonged direct sunlight.

Although the curtains will still be effective against pathogens, the polypropylene material the curtains are made from is not UV resistant and may suffer accelerated ageing as a result. This will lead to a loss in tensile strength and elasticity of the curtains. This will become visible as “pilling”. This is caused by the fibres in the polypropylene becoming brittle with UV exposure and coming loose from the main fibre chains and breaking down.

This effect is normally only observed after several months in direct sunlight.

All Endurocide® Curtains are manufactured from 100% recyclable polypropylene.  However, as the curtains are designed to come in contact with potential hospital pathogens, we would recommend that after use, Endurocide® Curtains be disposed of as hospital waste or in accordance with local regulations.

For those customers concerned with the whole life of their products, there is the possibility of incinerating the curtains after use for their calorific value.  Polypropylene has a high calorific value and one full width curtain could potentially generate enough energy to light a standard light bulb for an hour and a half. 

However, any hospital specific protocols or local regulations concerning the safe disposal of clinical waste should always be adhered to.

Yes: we have conducted an in-depth analysis of the individual chemical components present in our patented formulation which is then applied to our Endurocide^® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Curtains as a chemical blend during the treatment process. 

To assess the risk of these individual chemical components, we have undertaken a technical analysis of the data available in the public domain and based assessments upon potential absorption and body mass calculations. 

For the purposes of our assessments:

• We calculated that each standard, full width curtain is 15m² (width: 7.5m x height: 2m).  The Endurocide^® treatment blend is uniformly applied to the curtain and equally distributed across the surface.
• We chose an area of the curtain approximately twice the surface area of the average hand (0.05m² or 500cm²) and then calculated the mg/m² of chemical blend used in this area.
• We then assessed the mg/m² quantity of chemical blend in this single contact area for:
  • Acute Toxicity risks
  • Repeated Dose risks
• Calculations were based on average weighted UK males and females.

Conclusions:

 Glossary of Terms & Clarifications: 

When choosing the type of hook you order with your curtain, it’s important that you order the correct size to fit your railing - and with so many types of railings available worldwide, this is sometimes easier said than done!

There are two ways to help ensure the hook will be suitable for your railing:

Hook measurements: take the measurements of your existing hooks. The two dimensions you require are head/glider width (A) and neck width (B).
Railing measurements: if available,use the inner measurements of your railing. The two dimensions you require are inner width (X) and channel width (Y).
These measurements will make sure your hook fits in your railing and is neither too big (won't fit) nor too small (will fall out)!

 As a quick guide to our different types of hooks, please see the information below:

Hook Type	Order Code	Image	Head width (A)	Neck width (B)	Suitable for railing system*
QUICK-FIT	QF		10.0mm	4.0mm	Silent Gliss 6100
WHEELED	WH		9.5mm	4.5mm	Silent Gliss 6100
LARGE-TOP	LT		14.0mm	3.0mm	Movatrack 100
WIDE-WHEELED	WWH		12.0mm	4.5mm	Movatrack 100
U-TYPE	U		N/A**	N/A**	Marlux Fast-Fit

 If you would like a sample pack of the different hooks we have available, please contact us.

Please note: it is important to ensure that the same hook is used throughout your Curtain.  You should never mix hooks types or hook suppliers on one Curtain, as even similar type hooks can have significant differences in dimensions.  To ensure uniform glide of your Curtain in the railing, rails should be regularly cleaned, free from obstacles or gaps and all hooks should be hung at the same height.  Bio Technics accepts no responsibility for the performance of railings.

* The railings given are examples of commonly available systems - it is not meant to suggest that this is the only system that these hooks are suitable for use with.

** The X and Y measurements are not applicable to our U-Type hooks as these are designed to fit over the railing.

Both of our Endurocide® Hospital Curtains will fit most popular track systems as we supply in four different hanging systems:

1: UNIVERSAL EYELETS

Works with existing systems and hooks (no hooks supplied).

• Sporicidal Curtains have red eyelets
• Untreated Curtains have white eyelets

2: QUICK-FIT

Comes complete with standard one-piece hooks, designed to fit in most rail systems.

3: U-TYPE*

Designed to fit on existing track systems.

4: WHEELED HOOK*

Includes integral wheels for smoother movement (two widths available)

*Available on request - MOQs may apply.

Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains have been independently tested and shown to offer antimicrobial & sporicidal properties for up to two years after manufacture.

However, due to the nature of polypropylene and the fact that the curtains are designed to be disposable, Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains should be removed after up to 12 months of use in-situ, or earlier if visibly soiled. 

Each hospital will have its own specific protocols and assessments regarding the changing of curtains and these should be adhered to.  We would however recommend that all curtains should be replaced whenever they are visibly dirty.

No: Whilst Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Curtains have been independently tested to remain antimicrobially and sporicidally effective for up to two years in-situ, the actual length of curtain use achieved will depend on a variety of factors including, but not limited to; individual hospital practices, the natural longevity of polypropylene and the risk of the curtain being soiled from items such as blood, urine and general spills etc.  Curtains should always be replaced when visibly soiled.

Any timescales provided/referenced are always offered as a guideline only and under no circumstances whatsoever constitute a guarantee.

Yes, both Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains and Endurocide® Untreated Disposable Curtains meet the following International Fire Retardant Standards:

• UK & Europe - BS 5867 Part 2 Types B&C: 2008
• USA & Canada - NFPA 701: 2010
• Australia & New Zealand - AS 2755.2-1985 and AS 1530.2-1993 Part 2

For copies of the certificates, please contact us.

Yes: Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Hospital Curtains are currently available from the NHS Supply Chain in England and Wales.

For further information and links to the NHS Supply Chain website, please click here.

All our Endurocide® Curtains are made from 100% polypropylene which has a very low environmental impact when compared with other types of synthetic or traditional materials.

In addition, the liquid used to impregnate our Endurocide® Antimicrobial & Sporicidal Curtains is water-based.

Endurocide Curtains are available in the following pack sizes:

For further details on the product options of our curtains, please see here.