CH714553B9 - Textile fabric with a sensor for the detection of microorganisms. - Google Patents

Abstract

Textile fabric with at least two interlaced yarns, characterized in that this fabric or at least one of these yarns is provided with an ammonia sensor, this fabric producing a visually detectable color change in contact with microorganisms in less than one minute. These microorganisms can are different nosocomial germs, such as bacteria, in particular MRSA bacteria or gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria, or viruses, in particular noroviruses, DNA or RNA viruses, or fungi, spores and/or protozoa. This textile fabric is suitable for the production of bed linen, such as duvets, pillows, Molton or items of clothing, such as coats or trousers, in particular for doctors and nursing staff, as well as medical protective masks or shoe covers

Description

Preamble:

The present invention relates to a textile fabric according to claim 1, and its use for the production of bed linen or clothing.

Introduction:

[0002] Even after various visits, the clothes of the carers, nurses and doctors are still brilliantly white, even if millions of pathogens are romping around on them. The problem does not only exist in hospitals but also in retirement and nursing homes. Of particular importance is the nosokomialen infection (hospital infection) and the development of resistance of the pathogen.

Problem:

[0003] Since bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites on textiles, devices, surfaces and much more cannot be directly detected visually, various chemicals are used to combat them. The disinfectants are constantly changed because of the development of resistance and the textiles are sometimes treated with chemicals that are not entirely unproblematic. In this way, not only unwanted, but also vital bacteria are systematically killed. Although the germs are often unproblematic for healthy people, they are extremely problematic for people with a weakened immune system. It can be particularly bad if germs have become resistant to medication. Unwanted germs are spread by being brought in from outside (visitors, staff, etc.) and by internal distribution (visits from room to room). This can be well illustrated with the noro virus influenza in a nursing home. The contaminated laundry gets into the dirty room of the laundry via various routes (elevator, garage, kitchen paths are crossed, ...) without the virus being discovered. Because the laundry is usually damp to wet, the virus can multiply rapidly (e.g. a hundredfold in 20 minutes). This is particularly critical when the laundry is left lying around for hours, often over the weekend for up to 48 hours. Since this influenza is a droplet infection and the droplets are spread through the air in the room, spreading the virus to employees and guests is unavoidable. Therefore, double bag systems are also known.

[0004] Unfortunately, most laundries are not up to the required standards in terms of hygiene. In most cases, peracetic acid is used for disinfection, but in most cases the concentration is too low. In addition, the laundry in the tumbler is contaminated again because the contaminated exhaust air is blown into the room and this contaminated room air is used again as fresh supply air for drying. And what happens to the contaminated curtains and closet linen?

The problem also exists, for example, with MRSA bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus). Around 30% of the population are MRSA carriers. This is not a problem in healthy people and it does not cause any symptoms in them. However, if the immune system is weakened, this can lead to significant health problems. Here, transmission occurs not only via skin contact or droplets from the air, but also via textiles. The risk of contamination with bacteria/viruses is particularly high for older people who have to go to the hospital for an operation. In many cases, this is not discovered either by the clinic or later in the nursing home.

Task:

The object of the present invention is to determine the contamination of patients, nursing staff and visitors in a quick and easy way. It is a particular object of the present invention to create a textile fabric with an indicator, preferably a color indicator, for the rapid detection of microorganisms.

Solution:

According to the invention, suitable biochemical compounds are either incorporated into the spinning mass of individual fabric fibers (synthetic, man-made fibers), or individual fabric fibers are coated with these compounds, or these compounds are applied to the entire fabric. In this case, nanocoatings can be carried out in a known manner, or one or the other required biochemical compounds can be applied with the aid of nanocontainers. Not only chemical, but also physical processes and combinations or variants of the same can therefore be considered. Conductive, magnetic or light-active materials are also conceivable. So-called "all-in-one" duvets and pillows can also be equipped with this, where not only the cover can be washed, but the entire bedding with its contents can be dry cleaned. In all cases, according to the invention, the fabrics have an indicator for the rapid detection of microorganisms (knitwear, yarn, fiber, finish). .......... amminia

State of the art:

[0008] The detection of bacteria takes place in a conventional manner using selective culture media and can take several hours and even more than a day. Different detection methods are therefore known today with which a bacterial infestation can be detected in less than an hour. The rapid detection of biological contamination, resp. contamination with microorganisms of all kinds, such as bacteria, active proteins, viruses, spores or DNA and RNA viruses, especially gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria, has proven to be particularly important today and depends to a large extent on the specific bacterial detection. The following data on this: Bacterial concentration on the skin: approx. 10<11>per m<2> Bacterial composition on the skin: Actinobacteria (e.g. Propionibacterium and Corynebacterium): 51.8% Firmicutes (e.g. Staphylococcus): 24.4% Proteobacteria: 16.5% Bacteroidetes : 6.3%

Detection of bacteria with, for example, the following known bacterial detection reactions: Bacteriophages NCIMB 10116 Pseudomonas Aeruginosa 4h 10 CFU/ml Bacteriophages phage 12600 S. Aureus 40min 10 4 CFU/ml Use of catalase-positive bacteria H2O2was subject to dismutation reaction catalyzed by the catals present in the bacteria sample. The remaining H2O2reacts with HRP at the presence of o-tolidine dihydrochloride hydrate, forming a blue substance to be detected S. Aureus 9.5 min 2 10<2>CFU/ml Liposomebased cationic liposomes functionalized with a surface potentialsensitive fluorophore, 4-heptadecylumbelliferone ( C17-HC) S. aureus 1 min incubation 10 2 CFU/ml

[0010] EP-2293046 describes a biosensor system with an optical microresonator which is fiber-optically coupled to an optical detector. Fiber optic biosensors (FOBs) are increasingly used for clinical and biosafety applications, such as detecting bacteria in food or water supplies. FOBs have many advantages over conventional agar culture-based methods, particularly because of their speed and specificity. Unfortunately, these sensors require complex equipment and FOBs cannot be easily used in direct contact with patients and their surroundings.

Textile fabrics with antibacterial functions are also known, for example, from CN-106987967. The textile fabric is made by weaving selected warp yarn and weft yarn. The warp yarn is an anti-flame and antibacterial blended yarn and the weft yarn is linen yarn. The fabric has both the mechanical strength of synthetic fiber fabrics and the moisture absorption and antistatic performance of natural fiber fabrics, and is easy to weave, dye and finish. Unfortunately, no bacterial contamination can be detected with it.

However, there are also known, e.g . The material is used for medical, dental, point-of-use hygiene or personal care, biosurveillance or packaging, preferably for the detection and immobilisation of bacteria. Unfortunately, this method requires an additional device, i.e. a suitable scanner.

[0013] Solvatochromic dyes, such as those known from US2005130253, have proven to be particularly suitable for the optical detection of a bacteriological infestation. These are incorporated into various substrates such as films, woven and nonwoven fabrics, paper towels, or bonded carded webs, and change color in response to a change in environmental polarity. Because water is a polar solvent and most bacteria are composed of non-polar substances, the presence of bacteria changes the polarity of the environment, triggering a change that is visible to the naked eye. However, this method usually requires a high concentration of bacteria, i.e. this method proves to be time-consuming and requires a special additional method for detecting the bacteria.

Another optical indicator for the detection of bacterial pathogens is disclosed in WO 2009/095826. This comprises an absorbent pad (non-woven) which, after contamination with a bacteria-sensitive dye, is brought into contact with. Unfortunately, such a system is not suitable for rapid detection, because the bacterial concentration is only sufficiently high for detection after a certain proliferation time.

invention

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a textile fabric comprising at least two mutually crossed yarns with an indicator, in particular a color indicator, for the rapid detection of specific microorganisms. It goes without saying that the entire fabric or at least one of the yarns of this fabric is provided with this indicator. In contact with nosocomial germs, such as MRSA bacteria, in particular gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria, or noroviruses, in particular DNA or RNA viruses, fungi, spores and/or protozoa, this indicator generates a visually recognizable in less than a minute Color change and may be a solvatochromic dye of known type.

In a preferred embodiment, an ammonia sensor is used, which detects the ammonia produced by the microorganisms during the breakdown of body sweat. The presence of this ammonia can be made visually recognizable easily, quickly and in different ways.

advantages

The advantages of the present invention are immediately apparent to those skilled in the art. The use of fast sensors in connection with quickly reacting color indicators makes it possible, for example, to use disinfection in hospitals and nursing homes in a more targeted manner. Certainly, deaths can also be prevented in this way.

Further training:

It goes without saying that instead of the bed linen according to the invention, such as duvets, pillows, molleton or items of clothing, such as coats or trousers for doctors and nursing staff, medical protective masks, shoe covers, etc., the patient's laundry can also be provided with a suitable patch, which changes color when contaminated.

Claims (6)

1. Textile fabric with at least two yarns crossed over each other, characterized in that said fabric or at least one of said yarns is provided with an ammonia sensor, said ammonia sensor being provided with a color indicator for the detection of micro-organisms, said fabric producing a visually detectable color change in less than one minute in contact with micro-organisms. 2. Textile fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that these microorganisms are different nosocomial germs, such as bacteria, in particular gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria, or viruses, in particular noroviruses, DNA or RNA viruses. or mushrooms. spores and/or protozoa. 3. Use of a textile fabric according to claim 1 for the production of bed linen, such as duvets, pillows, molleton. 4. Use of a textile fabric according to claim 1 for the production of items of clothing, such as coats or trousers, in particular for doctors and nursing staff. 5. Use of a textile fabric according to claim 1 for the production of medical protective masks. 6. Use of a textile fabric according to claim 1 for the production of shoe covers.