About 10% of hospital patients get more sick or contract a new illness during their stay after coming into contact with germ-laden equipment and surfaces. This results in about 100,000 deaths each year in the U.S. and more than $20 billion in added healthcare costs. Doctors and hospitals across the globe have talked for years about making medical equipment “cleaner” to reduce unwanted illnesses. The Center for Disease Control even impaneled a “Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee” last year to examine the issue. 约10％的住院患者在接触含有细菌的设备和表面后，在住院期间会生病或染上新病。这在美国每年导致约100,000人死亡，并增加了超过200亿美元的医疗保健费用。多年来，全球的医生和医院一直在谈论使医疗设备“更清洁”以减少不必要的疾病。疾病控制中心甚至于去年成立了一个“医疗机构感染控制实践咨询委员会”来审查该问题。
At the same time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and several leading paint and powder coating companies have strengthened efforts to fine-tune antimicrobial coatings used to finish medical equipment and supplies to prevent bacteria growth. But now it appears the antimicrobial coatings are starting to make an even bigger entry into U.S. homes. More consumer goods manufacturers are offering “germ resistant” surfaces on many household items such as refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves and other appliances and fixtures. 同时，美国食品药品监督管理局和几家领先的油漆和粉末涂料公司已加强努力，以微调用于整理医疗设备和耗材的抗菌涂料，以防止细菌滋生。但是现在看来，抗菌涂料开始在美国家庭中占据更大的份额。越来越多的消费品制造商在许多家用物品上提供“防病菌”表面，例如冰箱，洗碗机，火炉以及其他电器和固定装置。
A report by Global Industry Analysts Inc. says the U.S. antimicrobial coatings market alone is expected to reach $1 billion by 2015. Why? Consider that the CDC says most household surfaces such as appliances, computers and other items humans use and touch every day often are laden with as much as 60 times the microbial matter found on a toilet seat. Global Industry Analysts Inc.的一份报告说，到2015年，仅美国抗菌涂料市场就有望达到10亿美元。为什么呢？考虑到疾病预防控制中心说，大多数日常使用的表面，如家用电器，计算机和人类日常使用和接触的其他物品，所载微生物含量是马桶座圈中微生物含量的60倍。
The Global Industry Analysts report says antimicrobial products were one of the fastest growing segments of the coating industry in a slumping economy. “The medical devices segment is all set to witness an impressive growth over the years. Factors such as increasing number of hospital acquired infection cases and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid adjusting their coverage policies are encouraging greater use of antimicrobial coated medical devices,” the report says. 全球行业分析师报告称，在经济低迷时期，抗菌产品是涂料行业增长最快的部分之一。多年来，医疗设备领域都将取得令人瞩目的增长。报告指出，诸如医院获得性感染病例数量的增加以及医疗保险和医疗补助中心调整其覆盖范围政策等因素，都鼓励更多使用抗菌涂层的医疗设备。
The U.S. antimicrobial coatings market was not affected by the worldwide economic recession and continued to display strong, double-digit growth even during the turbulent period of 2008-09, GIA reports. It also helped that media coverage of the deadly H1N1 flu outbreak and other such infections played a major role in sustaining demand for antimicrobial-coated products. “Over the near term, the market for antimicrobial coatings is poised for a bright future,” the GIA report says. “Major end-use markets such as medical, household care and food processing are all growing at a robust pace, mainly driven by the need for enhanced sanitary facilities.” GIA报告称，美国抗菌涂料市场并未受到全球经济衰退的影响，即使在动荡的2008-09年期间，仍显示出强劲的两位数增长。这也有助于媒体报道致命的H1N1流感暴发以及其他此类感染在维持对抗菌涂层产品的需求方面发挥了重要作用。GIA报告说：“在短期内，抗菌涂料市场将迎来光明的未来。” “主要的最终用途市场，例如医疗，家庭护理和食品加工，都以强劲的速度增长，这主要是由于需要增强的卫生设施所致。”
It is important that hospital administration take extra measures, such as antimicrobial paint, to keep hospitals as safe and clean as possible. Antimicrobial paint is a specially formulated paint that contains an antimicrobial agent and actually diminishes the ability of microorganisms to grow. Antimicrobial paints not only prevent bacteria from growing but they also prevent mold and mildew growth. Anti-microbial paints help prevent bacteria growth while still maintaining a beautiful atmosphere with a highly durable surface that can withstand the inevitable wear and tear that occurs in a hospital. These antimicrobial materials that are embedded within the paint not only reduce surface microbes but airborne contaminants as well and reduce 99.9% of all common pathogens. The anti-microbial protection will last as long as the expected lifespan of the paint product. Anti-microbial paints should always be applied properly by a professional commercial painting team. Professional commercial painters know how to properly apply these specialty paints in medical and hospital environments. 重要的是医院管理部门应采取其他措施，例如使用抗菌涂料，以使医院尽可能保持安全和清洁。抗菌涂料是一种特殊配方的涂料，其中含有抗菌剂，实际上会降低微生物的生长能力。抗菌涂料不仅可以防止细菌滋生，而且还可以防止霉菌和霉菌的滋生。抗菌涂料有助于防止细菌滋生，同时仍保持美观的氛围，并具有高度耐用的表面，可以承受医院不可避免的磨损。这些嵌入涂料中的抗菌材料不仅减少了表面微生物，而且还减少了空气中的污染物，并减少了99.9％的所有常见病原体。抗菌保护将持续至涂料产品的预期寿命。抗菌涂料应始终由专业的商业喷漆团队正确使用。专业的施工技师知道如何在医疗和医院环境中正确涂装这些特种涂料