The war on fungal and bacterial infections
Some new technology may be in your future against the bug battle.
Smart socks are on the way, a company called Cupron, Inc. has developed a way of embedding a copper-oxide compound in polyester fibers, and has created a line of socks called PRO Therapy System with the goal of preventing foot ulcers.
How the socks work: The copper-oxide is uniformly distributed throughout the polyester fibers of the socks. When a person wears the sock and their foot sweats, even a little, the moisture causes the copper and the oxide to break apart, creating free copper ions. The ions are then transported by the moisture to the skin, where they are absorbed either by the skin or by any fungi that are present on the skin. This either kills the fungi or stimulates skin cells called fibroblasts, which are the parts of the skin that generate new skin cells.
These socks start at $14/pair, which compares to most sports socks on the market.
Bacterial killing light: Indigo-Clean, by Kenall Manufacturing uses Continuous Environmental Disinfection technology to continuously kill harmful bacteria. Indigo-Clean,uses visible light to safely and continuously kill harmful bacteria within the environment. Indigo-Clean is a light fixture that installs easily into the ceiling of any room in the hospital, constantly disinfecting beyond current cleaning efforts.
The technology behind Indigo-Clean inactivates a wide range of micro-organisms including MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), C.difficile and VRE (Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus).
How it works:
Smart socks are on the way, a company called Cupron, Inc. has developed a way of embedding a copper-oxide compound in polyester fibers, and has created a line of socks called PRO Therapy System with the goal of preventing foot ulcers.
How the socks work: The copper-oxide is uniformly distributed throughout the polyester fibers of the socks. When a person wears the sock and their foot sweats, even a little, the moisture causes the copper and the oxide to break apart, creating free copper ions. The ions are then transported by the moisture to the skin, where they are absorbed either by the skin or by any fungi that are present on the skin. This either kills the fungi or stimulates skin cells called fibroblasts, which are the parts of the skin that generate new skin cells.These socks start at $14/pair, which compares to most sports socks on the market.
Bacterial killing light: Indigo-Clean, by Kenall Manufacturing uses Continuous Environmental Disinfection technology to continuously kill harmful bacteria. Indigo-Clean,uses visible light to safely and continuously kill harmful bacteria within the environment. Indigo-Clean is a light fixture that installs easily into the ceiling of any room in the hospital, constantly disinfecting beyond current cleaning efforts.
The technology behind Indigo-Clean inactivates a wide range of micro-organisms including MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), C.difficile and VRE (Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus).
How it works:
- The 405nm emitted from Indigo-Clean reflects off of walls and surfaces, penetrating harmful micro-organisms
- The light targets naturally occurring molecules called porphyrins that exist inside bacteria. The light is absorbed and the excited molecules produce Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) inside the cell
- 405nm creates a chemical reaction inside the cell, similar to the effects of bleach
- The Reactive Oxygen Species inactivates the bacteria, preventing it from re-populating the space
