October 18, 2007 — SAN DIEGO, CA — Recent news items report that the number of severe infections caused by MRSA is higher than previously believed and the bacteria now kills more Americans than AIDS. Those reports incorrectly state that there is no solution to the current epidemic which causes illness and deaths due to resistant staph infections.
PURE Bioscience, creators of patented silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC), the active ingredient in a revolutionary new hard surface disinfectant, reports that the Tulsa County Jail completely eliminated staph infections, including MRSA, during the first 14 months of use of the product since its introduction in August 2006. Independent lab studies of the EPA registered product document that SDC kills MRSA within two minutes.
Tommy G. Thompson, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and former four-term Governor of Wisconsin, joined the board of directors of PURE last year and was retained by PURE as a business development consultant. “I became involved with PURE last year because I saw the potential of this important solution for the prevention of deadly MRSA infections. I am actively working with PURE to introduce this novel antimicrobial to hospitals and to the health care community. PURE’s SDC-based antimicrobial is a powerful weapon against MRSA that can actually save lives. Unlike the traditional disinfectants currently used in hospitals and other institutions, SDC-based disinfectant mitigates the development of microbial resistance, is fast acting, easy to use, does not require rinsing and does not produce irritating fumes. It is very effective for controlling these types of infections.”
Thompson continues, “MRSA and other hospital and community acquired infections are preventable diseases, and I believe focus must shift from treatment to prevention in order to contain the spread of MRSA and avoid a potential epidemic in our hospitals, schools and throughout our communities. The emergence of resistant bacteria has changed the game for infectious disease control professionals, and an immediate solution must be implemented to avoid further preventable human and economic losses.”
The Tulsa jail, with its 1,700 cells and more than 1,500 inmates, had historically faced challenges with Staphylococcus aureus, including a resistant form of staph known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Prior to use of PURE’s SDC-based disinfectant, the facility experienced, on average, 12 cases of staph infection every month.
Stanley Glanz, Tulsa County Sheriff, states, “Of course, new inmates entering the system can expose our facility to infection, but after 14 months of using the SDC-based disinfectant, we are still completely containing the spread of infections in our facility — including staph and MRSA. We appreciate the many benefits of the non-toxic SDC-based disinfectant: It does not contain alcohol, it is non-flammable, and it does not require rinsing or the use of gloves or masks during application. Using it protects our employees and saves our organization money by controlling the overall incidence of illness in our facility. In addition, and most importantly, the 24-hour residual protection of PURE’s disinfectant offers added protection between applications.”
As part of its regular maintenance program, the jail uses the SDC-based disinfectant on booking areas, bathrooms, counter tops, cells, and mattresses.
Sold under various private label brands, PURE Bioscience’s EPA registered silver-based hard surface disinfectant is ideal for closed populations where resistant bacteria are becoming increasingly problematic, such as hospitals, prisons, and schools. In addition to antiviral and antifungal claims, the 30-ppm silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC) disinfectants carry a 30-second kill against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella choleraesuis, and Listeria monocytogenes. The first new disinfectant active to be registered by the EPA in more than 30 years, the SDC-based product also provides 24-hour residual protection against standard indicator bacteria and a 2-minute kill claim on MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and VRE (vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium). Moreover, SDC-based disinfectants pose little if any health hazards because they are odorless, colorless, non-corrosive, non-flammable, and are compatible with other disinfecting cleaning chemicals. The SDC-based disinfectant carries EPA-registered claims against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), while maintaining the Category IV lowest-toxicity EPA rating.
How does it work? Silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC), is an electrolytically generated source of stabilized ionic silver. In one of the mechanisms of action, the bacteria views the molecule as a food source, and once the organism consumes it, SDC destroys the bacteria by disabling proteins and halting its metabolic and reproductive functions. As a platform technology, SDC is distinguished from competitors in the marketplace because of its superior efficacy, reduced toxicity, and the inability of bacteria to form a resistance to it.
To speak with PURE Bioscience CEO Michael Krall about MRSA or how SDC works, or to speak with a Tulsa County Jail Representative about the eradication of Staph in that facility, please contact: Karen Sparks, Mentus Life Science, 858-455-5500, [email protected]
About PURE Bioscience
PURE Bioscience (PURE) develops and markets technology-based bioscience products that provide solutions to numerous global health challenges. PURE’s proprietary high efficacy/low toxicity bioscience technologies, including its silver dihydrogen citrate-based antimicrobials, epresent innovative advances in diverse markets and lead today’s global trend toward industry and consumer use of “green” products while providing competitive advantages in efficacy and safety. A new molecular entity, patented silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC), is an electrolytically generated source of stabilized ionic silver. SDC is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, non-caustic and formulates well with other compounds. As a platform technology, SDC is distinguished from competitors in the marketplace because of its superior efficacy, reduced toxicity and the inability of bacteria to form a resistance to it. SDC also offers 24-hour residual protection against standard indicator bacteria. PURE Bioscience, headquartered in El Cajon, CA (San Diego metropolitan area), was incorporated in 1992. Additional information about PURE Bioscience is available at www.purebio.com.