▁not ▁exhib it ▁any ▁ant im icro b ial ▁effic acy . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁South am pton ▁research ▁team ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁clearly ▁demonstrate ▁that ▁co pper ▁in hib its ▁MR SA . ▁On ▁co pper ▁allo ys ▁— ▁C 1 9 7 0 0 ▁( 9 9 % ▁co pper ), ▁C 2 4 0 0 0 ▁( 8 0 % ▁co pper ), ▁and ▁C 7 7 0 0 0 ▁( 5 5 % ▁co pper ) ▁— ▁significant ▁redu ctions ▁in ▁vi ability ▁were ▁achieved ▁at ▁room ▁temper atures ▁after ▁ 1 . 5 ▁hours , ▁ 3 . 0 ▁hours ▁and ▁ 4 . 5 ▁hours , ▁respectively . ▁F aster ▁ant im icro b ial ▁eff ica cies ▁were ▁associated ▁with ▁higher ▁co pper ▁al loy ▁content . ▁St ain less ▁steel ▁did ▁not ▁exhib it ▁any ▁b acter ic idal ▁benefits . ▁ ▁Clo str id ium ▁diff icile ▁ ▁Clo str id ium ▁diff icile , ▁an ▁an a er ob ic ▁b acter ium , ▁is ▁a ▁major ▁cause ▁of ▁potentially ▁life - th re aten ing ▁disease , ▁including ▁nos o com ial ▁di arr he al ▁in fe ctions , ▁especially ▁in ▁developed ▁countries . ▁C . ▁diff icile ▁end os por es ▁can ▁surv ive ▁for ▁up ▁to ▁five ▁months ▁on ▁surfaces . ▁The ▁path ogen ▁is ▁frequently ▁transm itted ▁by ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁health care ▁workers ▁in ▁hospital ▁environments . ▁C