Face mask that kills H1N1 readied for Australian pandemic fight
With a four-fold increase in swine flu cases within the last week, Filligent, a Hong Kong biotech company, is mobilising stocks of its anti-infective BioMask to help combat the spread of Influenza A (H1N1) across Australia. The BioMask is said to kill the Influenza A virus within seconds of contact while retaining the breathability required by front-line workers and children, who are often the first to fall in a contagious episode.
The TGA-registered BioMask is a Class I medical face mask based on filtration technologies designed to combat the transmission of diseases. It reduces the risk of cross-contamination by continuously killing germs and can remain germ-free after being touched.
Apart from being as affordable as standard masks, it is resistant to fungal contamination and extreme conditions, including humidity, heat or cold. It is flat-packed and can be surge manufactured. The BioMask is fabricated from a scientifically designed and tested multilayer material which has in its internal structure a unique active layer which has highly targeted anti-microbial properties. This active layer aggressively detects, traps, and then rapidly kills pathogens, within minutes of contact.
This patented textile layer captures pathogens by mimicking the sites on human cells to which they normally attach, then destroys them by disrupting their surfaces (viruses) and cell walls (bacteria). Many viruses, including influenza viruses, are known to bind to a terminal sialic acid residue on the surface of the human cell membrane. The binding agent in the textile mimics the binding action of sialic acid on influenza viruses.
Typical face masks (including standard surgical masks and N95s) do not kill airborne pathogens. They are based on a passive mechanical filtration design only. Thus, microbes on or inside the mask can stay alive for many hours, greatly increasing the likelihood of cross-contamination.
As part of the CE testing process, the BioMask was sprayed with live aerosolised Influenza A virus equivalent to approximately 1,000 times the amount contained in a normal sneeze. More than 99.9% of the viruses were killed after less than one minute. The BioMask is the first in a series of new products in Filligent's anti-microbial personal care range, BioFriend, launching this year.