A clinical trial has revealed that Trinity Guardion’s launderable barrier bed cover can reduce hospital-acquired infections such as Clostridium difficile (C. diff) by 50%.

The study was published in the American Journal of Infection Control and spearheaded by Dr Edmond Hooker, associate professor in Health Services Administration at Xavier University along with Dr Mark Bochan, an infectious disease physician with Infectious Disease of Indiana.

The trial was performed at St. Vincent Seton Specialty Hospital in Indianapolis and St. Vincent Seton Specialty Hospital in Lafayette over a period of 14 months, to evaluate the launderable bed protection system for hospital beds.

Hooker said: "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."

" … 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 US."

The experts stated that hospital beds are mostly vulnerable to bacterial infections.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that the patients in the US are afflicted with inflamed colon, abdominal pain, severe diarrhoea and terminal diseases owing to being exposed to C. diff bacteria.

The C. diff bacteria accounts for being the most common microbial cause of healthcare-associated infections in the US hospitals and costs up to $4.8bn every year.

American Medical Association former president and current Trinity Guardion board member Ardis Dee Hoven said: "Hospital-acquired infections like C. diff are difficult to treat and easily transmitted.

"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 US."

The launderable bed protection system is composed of an anti-microbial, which insulates the mattress and bed deck from bacteria.

The system can be cleansed using high heat and chlorine bleach to kill off spores and can withstand up to more than 100 washings and still maintain its protection rate.

Trinity Guardion CEO and co-founder Bruce Rippe said: "This study calls into question the efficacy of disinfectants on both hard and soft surfaces."