Fig 3.

Copper lowered the MB found on common, frequently touched objects. (A) Comparison of the average MBs between rooms with (green bars; n = 501 rooms) and without (red bars; n = 511 rooms) copper-surfaced items. Samples were collected over a period of 21 months, processed, and statistically analyzed as described in Materials and Methods (*, P < 0.05). (B [noncopper objects] and C [copper objects]). Average concentrations of bacteria (classified by type) recovered from bed rails (dark blue bars), call buttons (hospitals 1 and 3) and computer mice (hospital 2) (red bars), arms of chairs (yellow bars), tray tables (light blue bars), data input devices (base of monitor bezel [hospitals 1 and 2] and palm rest of laptop computer [hospital 3]) (purple bars), and IV poles (gray bars). (The call button data represent values obtained from call buttons at 2 sites and from a computer mouse at the third due to the absence of a call button at that site.)